Criticism of Modernity in Freeman’s A Poetess

Abstract

Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman was a remarkable American writer who flourished for decades at the turn of the 18th and the 19th centuries. She was well-known for regionalism, for she set most of her stories against the New England area where she was born. As a penetrating writer, Freeman endowed her works with profound observations of life that go beyond the confines of local colorism, which enables readers to explore new components at different times. A poetess has long been taken as a sample of feminism since the theory achieved the greatest popularity in the 1960s. As a piece of great literary works is open to diverse interpretations, A poetess, in the light of Modernity Criticism, demonstrates Freeman’s concerns for the modern development of human society and the adversities that go side by side with the process. Centering on the characterization of Betsy Dole as well as Mrs. Caxton, the minister, and the printer, the article aims at revealing the writer’s contemplations on modernity in the short story. Key words: A Poetess; Modernity; Betsy Dole