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An Alternative Woman: Breaking From the Binary Options of Sir Walter Scott's Heroines and Their Successors in Historical Fiction

Hernan, Rachael
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1599610638064843

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Arts in English, Cleveland State University, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
Inaugurated in historical fiction by Sir Walter Scott, the dichotomy of the virgin/whore or wife/spinster has long been ingrained in culture and continues to be perpetuated throughout literature. In contrast, two contemporary female historical novelists, Suzannah Dunn and Tracy Chevalier created female protagonists who break from that binary and present an alternative version of womanhood in The Queen of Subtleties and Remarkable Creatures respectively. The heroines in these two novels demonstrate personal agency through successful professions, and with the support of older, female mentors, their characters offer a representation of women and femininity that is not dependent upon men or marriage. Further, these two novelists use metaphorical imagery and visual punctuation to narrate interiority for their heroines and subsequently reclaim feminine identity for this third type of woman in history.
Rachel K. Carnell, Ph.D (Committee Chair)
Frederick J. Karem, Ph.D (Committee Member)
Julie M. Burrell, Ph.D (Committee Member)
Literature
alternative woman; womanhood; femininity; Suzannah Dunn; Tracy Chevalier; Sir Walter Scott; wife; spinster; professional woman; personal agency; historical fiction; female historical fiction; female novelists

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hernan, R. (2020). An Alternative Woman: Breaking From the Binary Options of Sir Walter Scott's Heroines and Their Successors in Historical Fiction [Master's thesis, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1599610638064843

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hernan, Rachael. An Alternative Woman: Breaking From the Binary Options of Sir Walter Scott's Heroines and Their Successors in Historical Fiction. 2020. Cleveland State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1599610638064843.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hernan, Rachael. "An Alternative Woman: Breaking From the Binary Options of Sir Walter Scott's Heroines and Their Successors in Historical Fiction." Master's thesis, Cleveland State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1599610638064843

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2020, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.