"An Ambitious Woman: A Novel" by Edgar Fawcett is about a young woman who vows to climb the New York social ladder in the late nineteenth century despite all odds being stacked against her. This example of early feminist literature explores the idea of a woman's ambition at a time when marriage was the only way to advance one's position. Claire is the daughter of an English gentleman of weak character who ended up dying dirt-poor, but her fine breeding and innate refinement shine through and give her a chance for greatness.