My Mortal Enemy

 

My Mortal Enemy

Author: Willa Cather

Genre: novella

Number of pages: 50

First published: 1926

Setting: Illinois, New York, West coast

Rating: 4 stars

First sentence: I first met Myra Henshawe when I was fifteen, but I had known about her ever since I could remember anything at all.

One sentence comment: In the early 20th century, the protagonist might seem stubborn, but now it isn’t uncommon to encounter women who are determined to decide their own lives and feel unsatisfied with the status quo.

 

This story reveals why Cather is considered ahead of her time. A century ago, when men often determined women's destinies through inheritance or financial means, Cather presents a resolute female protagonist. While such independence is commonplace today, making that aspect of the narrative less compelling, I find Myra's decline and bitterness to be largely a result of her illness, not merely financial struggle. This suggests her "mortal enemy" was truly beyond her command, positioning the tragedy as a matter of fate rather than a flaw in Myra's character.