| abstract | The following thesis sets out to show the ways in which fiction was able to push back, yet also reflect nineteenth
century marriage law. By examining the texts, A Doll's House, The Awakening, and The Woman Who Did, one can see the connections between
fictional characters and the culture of nineteenth-century marriages. Due to societal norms, many women were married, although they had fewer rights
than unmarried women. It is the goal of my thesis to zoom in on moments in history where these fictional works of literature reflected real life
scenarios. The female protagonists in each of the texts show how cultural expectations from laws and society have influenced the ways in which their
authors portray their decision-making. I have come to the following conclusions based upon my research: Each of the authors made an intentional
decision to go against societal norms by allowing their main characters to make a move that showed the uneven movement of the laws and culture of
the nineteenth century. I not only believe that there was a goal in mind for social change, but due to my research, I also believe that each author
was reflecting a moment that was occurring in his or her own life. I believe that the laws in the nineteenth century changed simultaneously with
the cultural expectations for women. My thesis shows how the role of author intentionality affected the works of literature that were produced as
well as explained the importance that female autonomy had on the reviews of the novels and plays. In the final chapters and scenes of these plays
and novels, each protagonist goes against cultural expectations by ultimately pushing back at the patriarchy. |
