earticle

영어

The national crisis of the Civil War resulted in unprecedented casualties. The church tried to console the bereaved family by giving them hope for the afterlife based on their orthodox doctrines of heaven, but they were unsuccessful. The Gates Ajar by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps was intended as a message of condolence to women suffering from the loss of their loved ones. Phelps presents heaven not as a place far from our real world, but as a place human, actual, and very close to living people. She presents this new view of heaven through Winifred. Winifred helps Mary overcome the grief of losing her brother Roy with this perspective. Winifred is a kind of alternative/lay minister who comforts suffering people and helps those in despair restore their faith. At the same time, she encourages Mary to be an independent individual. With Winifred’s help, Mary grows into a strong, self-sufficient woman. Phelps presents a woman’s independence and individuality as a virtue of the heavenly kingdom and describes the process of how Mary achieves it. In addition to presenting a feminine perspective different from the contemporary Christian churches’ view of heaven, Phelps also showcases positive feminine leadership through Winifred, and illustrates the sisterhood between Winifred and Mary. They encourage and rely on each other. This is another reason why The Gates Ajar is a significant feminist text.