Topic > Bright Star - 1100

Eliza Haywood is a visionary. In his love letter series, Love Letters on All Occasions, Haywood distinctively uses selected words, as metaphors, to unconsciously drive home the message to the reader. Whether strengthening the relationship between the two writers, or rather weakening it, the reader understands their relationship more fully thanks to Haywood's choice words. In Haywood's collection Love Letters on All Occasions from her novel Fantomina and Other Works, two letters in particular, "Letter XXV" and "Letter XXVII," Haywood's use of metaphors and choice of words help to reinforce the feeling between the writers and the reader. .In “Letter XXV,” Haywood writes a letter from Theano to Elismonda. By reading the letter the reader can clearly tell that Theano is madly in love with Elismonda. The fact that Haywood ends the letter with Theano writing, “My most beloved, beloved constantly zealous devotee of Elisamonda, Theano” (Haywood 196) may also be the last decal in the room that Theano has built for Elismonda in his heart. Haywood's use of the phrase “zealous devotee” is one of the times he reinforces Theano's love for Elismonda. Except the words “zealous” and “voter” don't mean much. The Oxford English Dictionary defines zealous as “having or showing zeal” (Oxford 1), or “great energy or enthusiasm in the pursuit of a cause or objective” (1). Votary is defined as “a person, such as a monk or nun, who has taken a vow of dedication to religious service” (1). Haywood's combining of the two terms is a metaphor for Theano's devotion to Elismonda. He consistently shows great enthusiasm in the pursuit of Elismonda, which he sees almost as a religion. He is a “voter”, but not like a monk or nun who does… middle of paper… her and knows he would never cross her. Haywood's response letter written by Elismonda to Theano uses select language and references to her letters to reinforce readers' understanding of the complete and absolute love these two writers feel for each other. Haywood uses metaphors and selected word choices to help reinforce the feeling between the writers to the reader in two letters, “Letter XXV” and “Letter XXVII” in his collection Love Stories on Every Occasion from his novel Fantomina and Other Works. Unlike many works of this period, both Theano and Elismonda are madly in love with each other and desire each other strongly. This is a rare case of a happy couple in the era of Seduction Fiction, where most stories often ended in tragedy. Haywood's tale of Theano and Elismonda could be considered one of the bright stars in an otherwise cloudy night sky.