Home > Feminism > Cather, Willa - Susan J. Rosowski (Essay Date Autumn 1981)

1. Printable Version
2. Download PDF
3. Cite this Page
4. Tweet This

SUSAN J. ROSOWSKI (ESSAY DATE AUTUMN 1981)

SOURCE: Rosowski, Susan J. "Willa Cather's Women." Studies in American Fiction 9, no. 2 (autumn 1981): 261-75.

In the following essay, Rosowski explores the ways in which Cather portrays her female characters not only as feminine archetypes but also as individual women.

Willa Cather created a gallery of powerful women. It includes the indomitable pioneer Alexandra Bergson, the great artist Thea Kronborg, the Earth Mother Ántonia Shimerda, the artful teacher of civilized standards Marian Forrester, the fiercely individual Myra Driscoll Henshawe. As critics have recognized, each functions as a type, an allegorical figure, of Cather's major themes, as Alexandra and Ántonia are allegorical of the pioneer experience, Thea and Myra Henshawe of the artistic soul, and Mrs. Forrester of the corrupting power of materialism.¹ Yet...

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

eNotes Pass

1. Introduction
2. Principal Works
3. Primary Sources
   1. Willa Cather (Essay Date 1931)
4. General Commentary
   1. Susan J. Rosowski (Essay Date Autumn 1981)
   2. Joan Acocella (Essay Date 2000)
5. Title Commentary
   1. O Pioneers!
   2. The Song of the Lark
   3. My Ántonia
6. Further Reading
7. Copyright

1. Willa Cather
2. Feminism