LITTLE WOMEN: THE ALCOTTIAN BILDUNGSROMAN

Nataša  V. Ninčetović

doi:10.21618/fil2633404n

Autor/innen

Nataša V. Ninčetović University of Priština in Kosovska Mitrovica Faculty of Philosophy Department of English Language and Literature

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21618/fil2633404n

Schlagworte:

Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, Bildungsroman, family, marriage

Abstract

This paper argues that Little Women (1868–1869), Louisa May Alcott’s most famous and enduring novel, both confirms and contests the conventions of the Bildungsroman genre. Although the book fits the definition of the genre with its theme of initiation and conflict between the individual and society, its conceptualisation of Bildung is peculiar. First, the vision of the home in Little Women as an ideal venue for the protagonist’s development is at odds with the typical Bildungsroman plot, in which the family is limiting to personal growth. Second, the reconciliation between the problematic individual and society is transformed into striking a balance between the protagonists’ wishes and family expectations. Third, we offer evidence that Little Women highlights the similarities between the maturation of heroines and their male friend, thus evolving into a Bildungsroman that transcends gender.

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