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Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Restricted Thesis: Campus only access
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
English
First Advisor
Dr. Elisabeth Gruner
Second Advisor
Dr. Elisabeth Out
Abstract
Enemies-to-lovers novels in romance depict the protagonists falling for each other despite initial hatred. While some critics label it problematic or tasteless, the trope has amassed a considerable fanbase over the last two hundred years. This essay uses the 19th century novels Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte as well as the contemporary novels A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas and The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood to explore the trope’s hidden depths. I argue that the enemies-to-lovers novel allows its central protagonist to come into their own power. In the four 19th century and contemporary novels, I claim that the heroine achieves autonomy by choosing to prioritize freedom over the life offered to her by the foil, a decision she makes for herself with the support of the hero.
Recommended Citation
Abbott, Julia, "Power Dynamics and Female Autonomy in Enemies-to-Lovers Novels" (2024). Honors Theses. 1741.
https://scholarship.richmond.edu/honors-theses/1741