Eliza Haywood satirizes several elements of 18^th century society in this novel including men and women and their expectations in society or their view towards relationships. For Fantomina, the standards that are forced upon the woman is what is being satirized. When we encounter “the lady” in the theatre she is described as “A young lady of distinguished birth, beauty, wit and spirit.” In this way she represents a typical female of the 18^th century as someone who in public, they must adopt a modest and mild exterior, but yet are still expected to please men in private. Fantomina’s actions are restricted by her reputation as a higher class Lady, as her public relations are constantly monitored and her eligibility to marry based upon virginity as well as status. In those days those maidens seen as virtuous would be rewarded with marriage, and those who lost their virginity were ‘persecuted’ by men.

Because she is a woman of high birth and social ranking she is unable to interact with the lower class part of the theatre but Haywood soon describes how she is different than most women of her time. Following the normal model for 18^th century writing, the heroine is usually vulnerable and naïve and when we first see her admiring the attention the prostitutes were getting I imagined she was simply a rich heiress seeking attention. However, Fantomina goes on to be described as someone with “wit” and she observes how the prostitutes act and operate in society before becoming one of them, knowing fully what her actions mean. Fantomina manipulates what is expected of the female race; instead of exhibiting mildness and virtue, she must be celebrated for instead exhibiting an entertaining wit and ability to outsmart others. We can however, see additional similarities and differences when we see her transform herself into her other characters. For example, even when acting as a prostitute, Fantomina must still act with modesty because that is what she has been told to do her entire life. Again, when in the disguise of Celia, her body is ‘half-reluctant, half-yielding’, displaying the struggle that women faced in the expression of their desires. Fantomina becomes lower class in her appearance and her sexual freedom, but remains higher class in that she still doesn’t have to live in poverty.

Instead of coming from the privileged upper class perspective we see someone restricted by their status in the upper class and someone wishing to escape it. Therefore, the theme of class centers on movement between the classes, and not interaction within a class. Lowering herself to a lower class is thereby portrayed as positive to the reader, as it allows Fantomina the freedom she seeks. In the eighteenth century, your social status deemed your identity. Therefore, Fantomina would be judged on her status as a Lady. However, Haywood inverts this to suggest instead that class and social status is based on outward impressions, and not one’s blood.

In Eliza Haywood’s Fantomina, she constructs a woman that is typical of the 18^th century, but with an element of curiosity. She begins her story by describing the nameless woman as “A young lady of distinguished birth, beauty, wit, and spirit,” (p. 2566). Just in this sentence, Haywood presents a woman that is to be desired by the standards of the century, but as one continues through the paragraph, it is clear she is not the perfect representation of such a lady. She observes the crowd around her, particularly the men who were flirting with the women around her. She first despises the way they so easily fall for women, but she then begins to become curious about what it is that draws the men to them. Based on what we have learned and read in class so far, this sort of curiosity is not typical or acceptable behavior of a woman in that time.

Haywood contradicts the idea of the typical 18^th century woman by giving the character a mind that is not bound by societal construction. This woman does not seem to care that acting like a prostitute, even temporarily, could lead to her reputation being damaged. Her goals are also not focused on obtaining a husband, although it obviously is on obtaining men in general. She has an independent mindset, which is not common of woman of that time. She decides to act as a prostitute just because she’s curious and later in the story, she follows Beauplaisir to Bath and disguises herself as a country maiden in her further pursuit of him. Even though she is making choices that revolve around a man, which is a stereotypical description of 18^th century women, she’s doing it to satisfy her own desires of curiosity and, possibly, obsession. Haywood presents a woman who clearly had the upbringing in an 18^th century society but she makes this woman different by giving her an inquiring mind into things that she probably should not be curious about.

In the beginning of the story, Fantomina is restrained because of her social status level. Very commonly seen in older times and less prevalent in today’s society. Fantomina takes a liking to a gentlemen, “Beauplaisir”, whom she is restricted to converse because of her ascribed class. Due to this facet, she changes her identity to a prostitute because she had observed how the men conversed with the ladies and she was envious of such conversations.
Being hidden as a prostitute she was able to lure in Beauplaisir because of her supposed job. Realizing that she had the power of conversation with her new identity, it allowed her to delay a private meeting with the man. Sadly, the private meeting turned south for Fantomina as she did not think through the consequences of dressing as a prostitute. This results in her feeling “undone’” due to Beauplaisir’s “rapturous’ actions.
Post sexual activities involving the two characters, Fantomina feels lost, taken advantage of, or even a form of lost identity.
Fantomina shifts from despair to love in a short time period. Fantomina is a very cunning person and it is evident in the scene where she bribes the housekeeper into stating she is lodging there and is from the country in all attempts to preserve her true identity. Yet to regain Beauplaisir, she uses her beauty and wits, to disguises herself as a maid, Celia.
Celia seems to be created in all attempts to reel back in some hope for having Beauplaisir fall in love with her, because Beauplaisir asks “Had she ever been in love?” Yet it is quickly seen that Celia is taken advantage of only for sexual desires that Beauplaisir seeks. She is in return treated as a prostitute in the payment that she receives from him.
Fantomina is a very clever lady and extremely observant. She realizes that certain social classes gain access to being able to converse with all gentlemen how talk with you, so she disguises herself in order to obtain the chance for love. Yet the plan tends to backfire as she unwillingly loses her virginity to the man. It is seen that as she shifts from the feeling of identity crisis, she falls in love with the man and would what seems about anything to get him to love her even if it means attempting a new identity. Thus, Celia is created as an outlet to gain conversation with Beauplaisir. Celia seems more desperate and a lot more willing to go along with Beauplaisir’s desires.

Fantomia, a young lady in Fantomia who exemplified the stereotypical female in the 18^th century, switches into various disguises and roles and has many interactions with Beauplaisir. Considerate of her character she was a “stranger to the world” and “was a virgin” (2567, 2569). She was unfamiliar with the manly world and thus it is possible she mostly remained in the house and doing this meant having a good character. Further, having good character was important in maintaining a good reputation for her family name and men in her life. Therefore after she was raped, she was still concerned that Beauplaisir not “touch her character” and so she revealed her name to be Fantomina (2570). In this way, he could not associate this immoral act with her real name. Then the more she considered the “merits of Beauplairis, the more she excused herself” and justified his actions in the possibility it will uplift her reputation (2571). Although she does possess stereotypical characteristics, she more greatly challenges these stereotypical characteristics.

Unlike the typical woman, she was curious and witty enough to be manipulative. Seeing the prostitutes drawing in men “excited a curiosity in her” that woman were not supposed to have (2567). Curiosity meant having an interest such as a career beyond the home. Furthermore, this curiosity led “a little whim which came immediately into her head” and she was able to formulate a plan to quell this curiosity. Eventually, she formulates a manipulative plan that in Beauplaisir “desires she had inspired” and in her second disguise, she “enflamed the amorous heart of him” (2568, 2573). As a woman, she should be more submissive and not controlling. Her as a manipulator challenges this stereotype as someone capable of controlling.

Ultimately Fantomia challenging the stereotype of women in that century is driven by physical passion which in itself is contradictory to the stereotype of women. Women are seen as passive and incapable of sexual desires and passion, but she proves this as fictitious. Her curiosity arises because she desires to be “receiving [men]” which comes from her physical passion. Her passion further causes her to manipulate Beauplaisir to gain his attention and then her passion drives her to disguise herself multiple times to seduce him. Her desire for physical passion is more prominent than her maintaining her character. With various qualities, she challenges the time’s stereotypes and directs society to a more progressive time.

In Haywood’s novel, Fantomina; or, Love in a Maze, she constructs “the lady”, her main character, as “a young lady of distinguished birth, beauty, wit and spirit” (pg. 2566).  In the 18^th century women did not have a sense of power and therefore, taking control over a man was not common. The novel does a great job showing the contrasts in power by stating, “He was bold; he was resolute. She fearful — confused, altogether unprepared to resist in such encounters” (pg. 2569).  They couldn’t really stand up for themselves and voice their opinions. Woman were seen as more obedient and saying “no” to men was not an ordinary option. Social class and identity were also big issues seen during that time period. Prostitutes were obviously part of the lower class, a class she was not, so the role of a prostitute was not fitting with her true identity. Men were able to notice that, especially one in particular, “her quality and reputed virtue kept him from using her with that freedom she now expected he would do” (pg. 2567).  Engaging in sexual activities while unmarried were not popular actions performed during the 18^th century. Haywood constructs “the lady” as a virgin to follow with these social standards during that century.

Haywood though, is able to challenge this stereotype of a woman. She challenges the stereotype of a woman by creating different gender roles of that time to represent society. The lady reveals her characters by acting as varying prostitutes that are of lower class to her true identity. Becoming prostitutes was not a usual act her class participated in, “she was young, a stranger to the world, and consequently to the danger of it” (pg. 2567) but she gained “a curiosity in her to know in what manner these creatures were addressed” (pg. 2567). As she witnessed from afar how much power these prostitutes had, it made her want to experience this persona. Through her different personalities, she eventually loses her virginity in which her true identity would not have acted upon. Haywood also challenges the stereotype of the woman by the wardrobe she wears to receive the attention of men, such as “a night-gown laced and adorned” (pg. 2571). She is now seen as a desperate woman trying to get the attention of men losing her “beauty, wit, and spirit.”

The disguise of Celia is a step, more like a fall, down from Fantomina. Fantomina, was much like the lady herself, a curious, young, “stranger to the world.” This disguise most closely relates to a New Woman, one who has desires and is curious about the world around her. Celia, on the other hand, was simplistic and available to wait on Beauplaisir hand and foot. This disguise falls more under the Fallen Woman category, especially because she no longer has her virtue. This shift demonstrates the lady’s desperateness and decrease in self confidence. Instead of being a woman with “so much beauty and wit” who captivated the man with conversation, she became a maid who wore a short petticoat to catch his attention. Fantomina/Celia embodied the role of a fallen woman. A woman who has nothing to lose because it has already been taken from her. After the Beauplaisir grew tried of Fantomina, the lady’s confidence in her charm and wit diminished. So, she became an object that she believed the man would desire. Celia was obedient and very outwardly fond of Beauplaisir. He could have her any time that was convenient for him. For a lady who is of “distinguished birth, beauty, wit and spirit,” the change to Celia was a demoralizing and desperate move. As Celia, the lady served only to please him, whereas, this was not the case with Fantomina. This illustrates how desperate the lady had become to retain the love and affection she once received from the man she loves, because what man wouldn’t want a woman who’s only purpose is to wait on him? The young lady’s true identity has been lost in her quest to become the woman that Beauplaisir desires. But how far must she fall to keep him?

As Fantomina concludes her first disguise and enters her second as Celia, we see a change in her character dynamics; one from a public display of sexual curiosity with a great deal of naivety to one of private and a much more intimate desire for masculine affection. In her first disguise, a previously unnamed protagonist and “stranger to the world” dresses as a prostitute making her way down to the pit where she is surrounded by a “crowd of purchasers…each endeavoring to outbid the other in offering her a price for her embraces”. She is neither discreet nor shy as a prostitute, but rather she is a young sheltered woman who is driven by curiosity and finds herself in a world in which she “did everything as her inclinations or humors rendered most agreeable to her.” Where Celia is more refined and purposed in her sexual desire, Fantomia is a public figure that has been released from the restrictions of her class and finds a “vast deal of pleasure in conversing with him in this free and unrestrained manner.” Her introduction to the public world of passion and sexuality illuminates her innocence as she reacts with hurt and disgust at Beauplaisir’s attempt to pay her as an assurance of his affection following her being raped. She has either forgotten that she is indeed a prostitute to Beauplaisir or lacks an understanding of the role she is playing. As she dons the much more private disguise of the maid, Celia, Fantomina begins to understand the nature of her “dilemma” and the real dangers to her reputation and her heart. But she now has an insatiable desire to be pursued again “remembering the height of transport she enjoyed…she longed to prove the same again.” Her new disguise as one who has lost her sexual modesty yet more discreet as a result of loss of honor is a desperate attempt to maintain the affections of a manipulative player. Fantomina/Celia is represented as a malleable character with no real personality, with the ability to change into whomever Beauplaisir will desire next. Rather than maintaining an individual identity, she would rather disguise herself as another person, or in this case, a seductive maid longing for connection lost in the world of gender identity.