My Research Proposal

To be honest, I do not like the way Nathaniel Hawthorne killed Zenobia in The Blithedale Romance. I wish she could survive, or, at least she could die in another way instead of committing suicide.

Zenobia represents a kind of aggressive woman figure (and an advocate of women's rights) who is rarely seen in the nineteenth century; committing suicide means that she gives up her goals and surrenders to the unjust society. I always wonder why Hawthorne would kill Zenobia.

Some critics have suggested that Margaret Fuller, who was one of the leading feminists in the nineteenth century, had a great influence in the character of Zenobia. According to the notes on the back of the novel, Fuller was "a frequent visitor at Brook Farm, and an acquaintance of the Hawthornes" (Hawthorne 252). I want to examine Fuller and Hawthorne's acquaintance through Brook Farm, as well as the history of feminism in the nineteenth century (especially around 1840 - 1852), to see how their acquaintance, nineteenth century feminism, and Hawthorne's views on feminism impacted the novel.

So my research question for The Blithdale Romance is the following:

How did nineteenth century feminism and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s views on women’s rights impact The Blithedale Romance?

Through this research, we can better understand the characters of Zenobia and Priscilla, especially Zenobia -- is she really representing Margaret Fuller? Why is she killed? Was Nathaniel Hawthorne against the idea of feminism? What message does Hawthorne want to bring out?

I will look up Hawthorne's biographies to see his potision on women's rights and/or feminism. I also want to compare Hawthrone's view on women's rights to that of Coverdale's, to see if they are different or the same. If they are different, then what kind of person is Coverdale representing? What specific idea does Hawthorne want to point out through Coverdale?

I will also research some prominent feminists in the nineteenth century, especially those who had acquaintance with Hawthorne. i.e. Margaret Fuller, Elizabeth Peabody (Hawthorne's sister-in-law).

I have borrowed 4 books, Nathaniel Hawthorne: A Biography; Nathaniel Hawthorne and His Wife, a Biography;Elizabeth Palmer Peabody: A Reformer on Her Own Terms; Letters of Elizabeth Palmer Peabody. I was not able to find Margaret Fuller's Woman in the Nineteen Century, which I think is an important book to my research. I will go to the library again on Monday to see if I can find that book... also other relevant books.

And for the following days...... READ READ READ!!!!! ...........

ohhhhhhhhhh

Don't forget to start The Conjure Woman next week!!!