Charlotte Temple is a sentimental novel by Susanna Rowson, first published in 1791 and later in America in 1794, where it became the first bestseller in American literature. The story follows Charlotte Temple, a naive young English schoolgirl who is seduced by Lieutenant John Montraville and persuaded to elope with him to New York during the American Revolution. Abandoned by her lover and deceived by her companion Mademoiselle La Rue, Charlotte becomes pregnant and penniless. Despite repentance and reunion with her father, she dies tragically after giving birth to a daughter. The novel serves as a moral warning to young women about seduction, disobedience, and the consequences of straying from parental guidance.
