Over Her Dead Body: Sherwood Anderson’s “The Man Who Became a Woman” and “Death in the Woods”

Abstract

This article analyzes Sherwood Anderson's stories "The Man Who Became a Woman" and "Death in the Woods," focusing on the death of the female body as an impetus for male artistic initiation. The paper explores how both narrators perpetuate patriarchal equations of art and culture with masculinity, framing manhood and creativity as complementary quests. The study examines two female archetypes: the seductive sorceress-lover in "The Man Who Became a Woman" and the maternal figure in "Death in the Woods." The article argues that these stories present initiation into manhood and artistic storytelling as an epic journey where the hero must conquer these female archetypes. Methodologically, the authors employ close textual analysis to uncover themes of gender, sexuality, and artistic creation. Key findings include the externalization and subordination of the feminine within the male psyche, and the radical expulsion of maternal influence from collective consciousness. The significance of this work lies in its demonstration of Anderson's narrative patterns as foundational to the epic of man's mastery over woman.

(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)