Fantomina

Eliza Haywood

Fantomina

Eliza Haywood
26 pages52-minute read
Fiction
Novel
Adult
Published in 1725

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

The Lady is a young, beautiful, and wealthy woman of distinguished birth who was raised primarily in the country. Her rural upbringing makes her slightly naive but deeply curious about urban society and the different rules governing men and women. Left largely unsupervised in London, she possesses a rich imagination and an unconventional streak that prompts her to adopt the disguise of a prostitute named Fantomina to safely explore the city.

Key Relationships

Romantic interest of Beauplaisir

Daughter of The Lady's Mother

Niece of The Lady's Aunt

Beauplaisir is a charming, wealthy nobleman and an active man of the world. Accustomed to privilege and easy romantic conquests, he enjoys playing the role of the gallant pursuer. He is notoriously fickle and quickly loses interest in women once he believes he has won them over, a trait that drives much of the story's romantic tension.

Key Relationships

Pursuer of The Lady

Social peer of The Lady's Mother

Supporting Characters

The Lady's mother is a forceful, conventional parent who represents the strict social order of 18th-century England. She places immense value on decorum, status, and maintaining public appearances. Her absence allows her daughter the freedom to experiment with her identity, but her traditional authority hangs over the narrative.

Key Relationships

Mother of The Lady

Social peer of Beauplaisir

The Aunt serves as The Lady's temporary guardian in London. She provides a respectable, stable household for her niece, completely unaware of the young woman's nighttime excursions or secret activities.

Key Relationships

Aunt of The Lady