| This thesis consists of a study of the archetypal heroine's journey, focusing on Isabel Archer and Edna Pontellier and applying the methodology of goddess psychology to both novels. The first part investigates archetypal displacement by connecting the lives of Henry James and Kate Chopin with those of their fictional creations. The second part examines the literary mode and narrative pattern of both novels. Finally, the last part studies the lives of Isabel and Edna in terms of goddess archetypes that are most prominent in their personalities. This archetypal investigation confirms that The Portrait of a Lady and The Awakening are ironic tragedies. Both heroines are trapped in a society which does not allow women to pursue any ambitions outside of the roles of wife and mother. |
