The Female Quixote; or, The Adventures of Arabella, v. 1-2

"The Female Quixote; or, The Adventures of Arabella" by Charlotte Lennox is a novel written in the early 18th century. The story follows Arabella, a young woman whose romantic notions, influenced by the romances she reads, lead her to engage in various misinterpretations and misunderstandings about love and courtship. The narrative offers a satirical exploration of female desire and social expectations through Arabella's unrealistic expectations from romance and her interactions with the men around her, including her cousin, Mr. Glanville. At the start of the novel, the reader is introduced to Arabella, raised in isolation by her father, the Marquis, after the death of her mother. The opening chapters describe her sheltered life, her beauty, and the excessive romantic ideals fed to her by her novels, leading to her belief in overdramatic romantic scenarios. Arabella's first encounter with Mr. Hervey at church sparks her imagination, leading her to mistakenly believe he is an admirer destined to seek her hand. As her father plans to marry her off to her cousin Glanville, Arabella's confusion about love and societal norms unfolds through her comical interactions with both men and her reckless insistence on adhering to the conventions portrayed in her beloved books.