The Coquette or, The History of Eliza Wharton

The Coquette; or, The History of Eliza Wharton is an epistolary novel by American writer Hannah Webster Foster, first published in 1797. Set in post-Revolutionary America, it is the story of Eliza Wharton, a spirited and independent young woman determined to navigate life on her own terms. Torn between two suitors — the steady and respectable Mr. Boyer and the charming yet morally ambiguous Major Sanford — Eliza finds herself caught in a web of romance, societal judgment, and self-discovery.

Through her journey, the novel explores themes of personal agency, the consequences of defying convention, and the tension between individual freedom and societal expectations. This timeless epistolary classic offers a vivid and poignant portrait of a woman’s struggle to balance her desires with the weight of the choices she must make.