On The Tragic Elements Of The Jane Girls

Theodore Dreiser is an excellent novelist in American. The tragic style and tragic character of his novels has been always concentrated on by the critics. Jennie Gerhardt was seldom noticed all among his novels. This novel narrated a tragic character- Jennie who was a kind,honorable woman with many virtues. She devoted herself to her parents and the others. However she was not accepted by people .She suffered much difficulties and was lonely in the world at last. Her suffering has tragic style .This paper will discuss the reason of Jennie's tragic style and some modern apocalypses from it.This paper consists of four chapters. Firstly, it is about elements the of tragic style. Tragedy, as one type of drama, conceals the tragic phenomena by artistic creation. Theodore Dreiser was good at creating the tragic phenomena in society .Graceful tradition was popular in American culture which was essential to treat female images and the relation between men and women. Victorian ethic as conventional morality affected deeply the author. Jennie Gerhardt who was created by the author's criterion embodied the values of central ethic. In this word, she was sacrifice of central ethic.Meanwhile , Charles Darwin,Herbert Spencer influenced Theodore Dreiser who accepted Darwin and naturalism. Based on the ideas, he built his attitude about the world. Jennie Gerhardt' suffering, as his second novel, was the influence of his naturalistic assumptions .So her tragedy was unavoidable.Secondly, it is about the culture of Jennie Gerhardt' suffering. Because of transformation of social constitution and social ideas ,New Woman appeared in the American history such as"Sister Carrie"which was not published for its content. Ten years later, Theodore Dreiser composed Jennie Gerhardt who was similar to Sister Carrie in suffering. It was different that Jennie Gerhardt was endowed with many conventional merits. Her values was the embody of conventional morality. This paper discussed it from three elements in her life.Thirdly, it is about the nature of Jennie Gerhardt' suffering. Theodore Dreiser thought that the world was the world of power and the compound of mechanical,natural,diverse power. It was aimless. Mankind was controlled by the inner power and the outer power ,without any own will. The power had effect on the doing,aim of mankind include of doom . Jennie Gerhardt did not escape from the settings,her characters and occasional elements. Her tragic sufferings was necessary whatever she did.Lastly, discusses some modern apocalypses from"Jennie Gerhardt". Fatherhood consciousness, as a norm, build a series of norm for men and women. Jennie Gerhardt,Brander and Lester all must undergo the norm so that they found out their happiness without bravery. Therefore we must seek harmony between men and women. Female who will want to become herself must own financial rights and break out fatherhood consciousness.