Key words: female characters, society, psychological, tragic destinies, social pressure
Summary
Theodore Dreiser, a major figure of American naturalism, depicts the tragic fates of women shaped by harsh social and economic forces rather than personal failure. His female characters are constrained by an unforgiving system that limits their agency and moral freedom. In Sister Carrie, Carrie Meeber’s material success is accompanied by emotional emptiness, exposing the illusion of social achievement. In An American Tragedy, Roberta Alden embodies the vulnerable working-class woman destroyed by betrayed love, while Jennie Gerhardt represents moral purity and self-sacrifice undermined by social prejudice and economic injustice. Through these portrayals, Dreiser highlights the naturalistic idea that women’s lives are determined by external pressures, offering a critique of early twentieth-century society.
