The Female Quixote; or The Adventures of Arabella v. 1-2

The story introduces Arabella an heiress who has been raised in seclusion and educated by her mother and governess in the ideals of romantic chivalry and heroism found in the novels she avidly reads. Arabella's misguided notions of romance and heroism lead her to embark on a series of adventures and misunderstandings often involving her suitors and those around her. Her romantic fantasies lead her to reject practical realities and social conventions. Her behavior becomes increasingly erratic and comical as she attempts to live out the chivalric ideals she has absorbed from her reading.