Sympathy For An Old Man

British citizens of the 1700s wanted to be known for their good morals and compassion as citizens and needed to have a standard to follow. Charlotte Temple, written in 1791 by Susanna Rowson, is a sentimental novel that delivers the framework the British populace needed. Two aspects of sentimental novels that are seen in Charlotte Temple are stereotypical good and bad characters and excessive emotion. Charlotte’s grandfather, Mr. Eldridge, is a good character who exemplifies the qualities a man of his time should possess. Mr. Eldridge is a sympathetic, good character and shows excessive emotion that is typical of sentimental novels.

Mr. Eldridge expresses great emotion in several parts of the novel. When Mr. Eldridge finds out that Charlotte has eloped, “a violent gush of grief” comes over him, showing that he truly cares for Charlotte (388). Other characters in the novel, like Mademoiselle La Rue, lack such emotions because they are the stereotypical bad characters (400). However, good characters such as Charlotte express extreme emotion like Mr. Eldridge (396). Another eruption of emotion from Mr. Eldridge is when he feels a “mixture of anguish and resignation” due to Charlotte’s elopement (389). His strong emotions filter to the rest of Charlotte’s family when they also learn about her untimely marriage (390). Intense emotion is expected from stereotypical good characters like Mr. Eldridge to progress the plot and deliver expectations. If Mr. Eldridge did not express his feelings so overtly, less compassion would be felt for him. The reader would struggle to determine if his emotions were sincere.

The reader knows that Mr. Eldridge is a good character because he sheds real tears. Mr. Eldridge “burst into tears, and [sobs] a loud” as soon as he enters Mr. and Mrs. Temple’s house, revealing the torment in his heart (389). If Mr. Eldridge were a bad character, he would not show such genuine emotions so readily. Good characters are known for expressing their emotions through tears. For example, Mrs. Beauchamp bursts into tears when she sees the condition Charlotte is in (403). Charlotte, who is also a good character, can be seen crying when she must make a drastic decision in her life (385). On the other hand, bad characters such as Mademoiselle La Rue shed fake tears because they are not capable of expressing sympathetic emotions (376). The fact that Mr. Eldridge cries real tears and really feels sorrow, shows the reader that he is truly compassionate. Mr. Eldridge’s natural emotions greatly impact others. Because Mr. Eldridge experiences so much in life, his emotions are well rounded, allowing the reader to relate to him on a deeper level.

Due to Mr. Eldridge’s nature as a good character, the reader feels sympathy for him. Mr. Eldridge has to tell Mr. and Mrs. Temple about Charlotte’s elopement. The reader understands Mr. Eldridge’s difficult position because giving bad news to someone is always hard. The one person Mr. Eldridge holds dear to his heart, Charlotte, disappoints him, leading the reader to feel compassion for Mr. Eldridge. Everyone has been disappointed before, and for this reason, the reader is able to not only sympathize but also empathize with Mr. Eldridge. Sympathy also arises in the reader when Mr. Eldridge would rather die than to live knowing that Charlotte has betrayed her family (388). Mr. Eldridge’s emotions touch the reader because too many times good people are left to suffer. With the complicated and heartbreaking past of Mr. Eldridge, his current pain hits harder. Past and current circumstances of Mr. Eldridge elicit emotions from the reader that allows the reader to sympathize with him in many ways.

Without the excessive emotion from Mr. Eldridge and other characters, the story would less likely be classified as a sentimental novel. Mr. Eldridge is the stereotypical good character that must show emotions, like crying and outbursts, to convey that he has compassion and good, solid morals. Rowson included Mr. Eldridge in Charlotte Temple for teachable moments—to show others the qualities they should possess as upstanding citizens and individuals. Novels written in the 1700s were not just meant for entertainment. They served a larger purpose, and that was to convey the ideals of society to the public. Mr. Eldridge’s importance as a central figure is highlighted for this reason; he is the model that people during this time strived to be.

About This Series

I hope that this series serves to chronical how far we come as writers and individuals without even knowing it. I’ve decided to go back through some old college writings buried in folders upon folders and revived from hard disks. This particular series of essays are from the very (cough, very) early 2000s when I was in undergraduate. The titles and other aspects are kept the same, with only some slight editing for current readability. At times, like in this instance, a Work Cited is not included when I cannot find the original version used at the time of composition.

About This Work

This short essay was one of my assignments for one of my favorite English courses. Who could resist a course titled “Scribbling Women”? It was the early 2000s, so the course title alone was a shock. But the content of the course and the discussions was even more sensational. The cherry on top was the very dynamic professor who infused her trials and triumphs into each class as well as campus life.

About The Author

Stephanie Bradberry is first and foremost an educator and life-long learner. Her time in academia spans 20+ years and counting as a professor of English, Literature, Business, and Education; former high school English teacher; and more. She loves freelance writing and editing. She is the founder/owner of Stephanie J. Bradberry LLC and former founder/owner of Crosby Educational Consulting, LLC. Learn more at stephaniebradberry.com