A work of amatory fiction, Love in Excess offers many models of female desire, and ultimately articulates the early-18th century "cultural shift toward a companionate model of marriage."[4] Like Aphra Behn and Delarivier Manley, Haywood uses love triangles to illustrate the different roles women can play.[10] Exploring the conflict between social expectations and individual desires, Haywood's novel illustrates how female desire is silenced by public norms.[4] According to David Oakleaf, Haywood "laments that women cannot, like men, express their desire directly".[10] Although Love in Excess is known for its female characters, Count D’elmont is also an important character. Count Delmont is a “male version” of women who inspire sexual desire but are indifferent to their admirers.[10]
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