The Epic Journeys of the Modern Canadian Penelope
Keywords:
Contemporary female fiction, Canada, Penelope, travels, identityAbstract
This essay analyses the growing presence of the literary figure of the travelling lady in contemporary women's fiction and traces her development as a new archetype in Canlit, which the author calls 'the modern Canadian Penelope'. By showing how Penelope is inscribed as a hero rather than as a passive heroine, the author argues that this new literary archetype subverts conventional representations of females in Canlit and the constructions of Canadian identity within the victim paradigm outlined by Atwood in Survival.
Gli epici viaggi della moderna Penelope canadese
Questo saggio analizza la crescente presenza della figura letteraria della viaggiatrice nella narrativa femminile contemporanea e traccia il suo sviluppo come nuovo archetipo in Canlit, che l'autrice definisce la moderna Penelope canadese. Mostrando come Penelope sia inscritta come un eroe piuttosto che come un'eroina passiva, l'autore sostiene che questo nuovo archetipo letterario sovverte le rappresentazioni convenzionali delle donne in Canlit e le costruzioni dell'identità canadese all’interno del paradigma della vittima delineato da Atwood in Survival.
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