Catharine Trotter and the Humane Libertine

Catharine Trotter's only comedy, Love at a Loss, or the Most Votes Carries It (1700), presents humane libertine heroines, ones that recall earlier Restoration characters but also anticipate the new era of sentimental comedy. Trotter suggests that women must conform to social norms to avoid public censure, particularly if they lose their chastity. Her play questions women's lack of agency, particularly after marriage, and reinforces the idea that women suffer for their sexual transgressions.