ANTIHEROINES

This course dives into the captivating, often morally ambiguous world of the literary antiheroine—a character type that defies convention, defies categorization, and challenges our notions of femininity, agency, and power. Through a curated selection of novels, we’ll explore complex female protagonists who operate outside traditional roles, embodying contradictions and darker impulses in ways that reveal the nuances of identity, desire, and rebellion.

From the quiet ruthlessness of Emma Bovary in Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, to the unapologetic ambition of Edith Wharton’s Undine Spragg, to the complex, inner turmoil of Ottessa Moshfegh’s heroines, these characters embody lives marked by defiance, dissatisfaction, and intense self-awareness. We’ll also consider contemporary antiheroines like those in Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels and Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley series, who push boundaries and redefine what it means to be “unlikable” yet utterly compelling.

Designed for readers intrigued by morally complex, boundary-pushing women, this course will include discussions on narrative style, cultural context, and the evolution of the antiheroine in fiction. Through weekly readings and reflective discussions, you’ll gain insights into how these antiheroines reveal both timeless and timely truths about the desires, disappointments, and complexities that define us.