The Coquette, written by Hannah Webster Foster in 1797, tells the story of the life of a wealthy woman in the 18th century. A few themes are presented throughout the novel: correspondence, sexual freedom and ideal femininity. Elizabeth Whitman has been an icon of American history since the 19th century because of her courage and disregard for the caged position of women in society. Elizabeth Whitman's tombstone is said to be a popular tourist attraction; “His grave was a popular destination for New England travelers, who made their way to the far corner of Danvers' Old South Cemetery throughout the 19th century.” (Waterman)The Coquette was loosely based on the story of Elizabeth Whitman, born in 1752 and died in 1788. Women were not generally the subject of novels because they were not considered important by the Company. It is therefore surprising that a novel about a woman becomes very popular with the general public. La Coquette was advertised as a dime novel in the late 17th and early 1800s, but at the turn of the 21st century, it is one of the most popular novels about women's liberation and sexual freedom. Since La Coquette is based on real events, there must be a credible primary or secondary source; in this case, the epistolary novel was compiled using themes taken from the original letters written by Elizabeth Whitman. Only 15 letters of correspondence between Elizabeth Whitman and Joel Barlow remain in the Baldwin family papers. (Waterman) In her novel The Romance of the Association, Caroline Wells Healy Dall had to personally contact the Baldwin family in order to review the original letters. This is why correspondence is so important in novels of this era. ...... middle of paper ......is stick since she lost her life and her reputation, the two most important things to her. However, I would say the punishments were the same, Sanford also lost the two most important things to him, Eliza and his money. Depending on one's perspective, it may be better to die than to live without the love of your life. Works Cited Castiglione, Balclesar. “The Coutier’s Book”. Castiglione, Balclesar. The third book. London: Norton & Company, 1523. 147-187. Grave of Elizabeth Whitman. Peabody, nd Photography. Foster, Hanna Webster. The Coquette. Oxford University Press, 1797. ebook. Waterman, Bryan. “Coquette and Correspondence in the Revolutionary Era: Reading the Letters of Elizabeth Whitman.” Early American Literature (2011): 541-563. Wenska Jr., Walter P. “The Coquette AND THE AMERICAN DREAM OF FREEDOM.” Early American literature (1977): 243-256.