The Contract

The Contract is a novel written by Margaret Cavendish, which tells the story of a young woman named Lady Lucy who is forced into a marriage contract with a man she does not love. The novel is set in the 17th century and explores themes of gender roles, power dynamics, and societal expectations.Lady Lucy is a strong-willed and independent woman who is determined to live life on her own terms. However, her father has other plans for her and arranges a marriage with Lord Richard, a wealthy and powerful man who is known for his cruelty and arrogance.Despite her initial resistance, Lady Lucy eventually agrees to the marriage contract, hoping to find a way to escape her unhappy situation. However, she soon discovers that Lord Richard is not the man she thought he was and that her life is in danger.As Lady Lucy navigates the treacherous waters of her new life, she must also confront the limitations placed on women in her society and find a way to assert her own agency. The Contract is a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and the struggle for freedom in a world where women are often seen as little more than commodities.But the old Gentleman, perceiving his neglect towards his Neece, and hearing of his Affections to that Lady, strove by all the Care and Industry he could to give her such Breeding as might win his Love; not that he was negligent before she was contracted to him; for from the time of four years old, she was taught all that her Age was capable of, as to sing, and to dance; for he would have this Artificial Motion become as natural, and to grow in perfection, as she grew in years.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.