Thesis Statement and Outline

Today, many people look at curiosity as a positive virtue. In an age where many products are considered “smart” (smart phone, smart car), it isn’t uncommon to have intelligent people behind these items that were driven by one ambition: to create a better product. This was done by having a curiosity for what our future could be. But, in the past, curiosity was once considered a stigma. As Benedict says, “curiosity has also been depicted as the cause of mankind’s errors” and  that “curious people also become or produce objects of curiosity” (1). In fact, she also goes on to argue “that English culture portrays curiosity as the mark of a threatening ambition, an ambition that takes the form a perceptible violation of species and categories” (2), so it is no surprise to learn that, a novel that addresses female empowerment and female sexual freedom by means of curiosity, would be considered scandalous. Eliza Haywood's short story, “Fantomina” examines the role of women in a patriarchal society; namely, she focuses on how women were forced into limited roles which proved powerless over males. Instead of accepting the patriarchal society as it is, Haywood works against the idea of this society by creating a female protagonist touched with curiosity, and in doing so, not only creates a female identity, but creates one that is considered equal to the male identity.

Haywood starts off her story by describing the main character as “a young lady of distinguished birth, beauty, wit, and spirit” (1). This description lacks any real descriptive qualities (such as hair color, eye color, etc.) that would set this female character apart from others. In fact, Haywood could be describing any one of those “young ladies” of “distinguished birth.” By failing to add other qualities, Haywood therefore fails to add a female identity. She furthers this lack of female identity in her main character by leaving her unnamed in the story. This, along with the restrictions placed on the character -- like not being able to having a meaningful conversation with a male -- are meant to showcase the society as highly patriarchal. Men are allowed to talk to females without any implications (“she perceived several gentlemen extremely pleased themselves with entertaining a woman who sat in a corner of the pit” [1]). In addition, Haywood chooses to name the male protagonist, showing that they are the superior sex. 

Outline:

I. Introduction + Thesis statement

- history of curiosity -- both negative and positive virtue

- society as patriarchal

- women lack identity, power, and sexual freedom

II. Body Paragraphs (3-5)

i. Description of main character as evidence for male society

- doesn't distinguish her from others

- fails to add female identity

- leaves female unnamed, while naming male

- quotes about restrictions

ii. Introduction to curiosity

- starts off as natural curiosity to know what is being restricted

- not dangerous to society yet

- quotes about curiosity

iii. turn of natural curiosity to greed-like

- once realizes potential, turns into something more

- keeps tricking Beauplaisir to be with him - sexual

- moment that crosses line and all restrictions are gone

- now has identities

III. Conclusion