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Eliza Haywood's The History Of Miss Betsy Thoughtless

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Eliza Haywood, born in 1756, was a prolific writer, actress and publisher. She wrote over seventy works during her lifetime and is even considered among the founders of the English novel. As her initial works were centered on titillating depictions of romance, she is also regarded as one of the most prominent writers of amatory fiction. However, later on during her career she began writing novels that focused more on the rights of women and their position in society. As her novels gave more liberty to women than was common during that era, Haywood sparked controversy and faced severe criticism from the patriarchal society. She intentionally created a mysterious sort of persona as she kept her personal life away from the public. Nevertheless, from behind the guise of her numerous heroines, she managed to offer thousands of women the advice they needed to survive the prevailing issues of the eighteenth century. …show more content…

It is focused around the life and various experiences of young, orphaned Betsy who is sent to live with her relative Mr. Goodman and his family. As she is young, pretty and owns a fortune, she is courted by several eligible suitors. Her coquettish nature gets the best of her and thus, she dallies with their affections and …show more content…

Her insight is not limited just to the eighteenth century but is currently very relevant in the context of women attempting to gain an equally liberal standard as men regarding their

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