Female Tragic Heroism in Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth"

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2019 in the subject Didactics - English - Literature, Works, grade: 8.99, Sultan Moulay Sliman University, language: English, abstract: This research paper will discuss the topic of female tragic heroism in The House of Mirth. In chapter one of this research paper, I will deal with the main characteristics of tragic hero as explained by Aristotle in his book Poetics that makes Lily Bart as a female tragic hero. The three main characteristics: firstly, her hamartia or tragic flaws which make her downfall at the

end of the novel. Secondly, Lily Bart¿s recognition that she is unable to achieve her dreams.Thirdly, Lily Bart¿s reversals in her life. In addition, chapter two will discuss Lily Bart¿s inherited tragic fate and the use of Edith Charles Darwin¿s theory in building the fate of her character Miss Lily. It also will highlight the term of coincidence in Lily Bart¿s meetings with men because this coincidence also leads Miss Lily Bart to her downfall. Finally, the last chapter of this research paper will be about Miss Lily

Bart¿s unfulfilled dreams. All of these chapters show how Miss Lily Bart is a truly female tragic hero.