Let's Read the Classics, Part 4

In this course, we continue reading well-known authors who focus on the lives of women. We begin with Hawthorne’s American classic, The Scarlet Letter (1850), which illustrates the disturbing contrast between how male and female adulterers are treated. In contrast, the affairs of Flaubert’s Madame Bovary (1857) lead to her own self-destruction.  In Chopin’s The Awakening (1899), the female protagonist feels trapped by married life and her lack of autonomy. Wharton’s The Custom of the Country (1913) is a tale of manners in upper crust New York City society and what women will do to achieve status.  Our final book, Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (1985), provides a dystopian view of the future of women. No previous course is required to enjoy this one.