Identifier	Thesis 1743
Author	Sterling, Suzanne Amanda
Title	The Evolution of Kate Chopin's Heroines
Publisher	Central Connecticut State University
Date of Publication	2004
Resource Type	Master's Thesis
Abstract	The purpose of this thesis is to prove that Kate Chopin's earlier heroines are, although not fully developed, precursors to Edna Pontellier, a character Chopin created at the end of her career in The Awakening. All of Chopin's fiction takes place in the late nineteenth century, mostly in the American South, a time and place of stifling gender roles and a strict patriarchal society. Chopin's writing focuses extensively with the roles of women within this culture. After carefully examining Chopin's complete canon, six pertinent works of varying themes that all anticipate Edna Pontellier were selected. The thesis demonstrates that Chopin's earlier heroines anticipate the deeply complex character of Edna Pontellier in disparate ways, including revolutionary assertions of autonomy and female identity. It was discovered, however, that although these earlier heroines exhibit definitive traits that culminate in the character of Edna, they all either sacrifice integral aspects of themselves in their quests for autonomy, or allow society to dictate their futures. In The Awakening, however, Edna refuses to conform to meet society's standards of women's roles. The thesis explores Chopin's fiction in terms of the brave female characters she creates. It illustrates the rebellious characteristics that the earlier heroines possess that Chopin builds upon to create her striking portrayal of Edna Pontellier.
Subject	Chopin, Kate, 1850-1904 -- Criticism and interpretation Chopin, Kate, 1850-1904 -- Characters -- Heroines
Department	Department of English
Advisor	Dunne, Robert, 1964-
Type	Text
Digital Format	application/pdf
Language	eng
OCLC number	713734425
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The Evolution of Kate Chopin's Heroines

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