ABSTRACT
From early pilgrims to recent progress, the myth of the frontier has inspired US literature and rhetoric, reflecting its self-concept and moulding its personality. The frontier has always been a patriarchal myth in which women were overwhelmingly dominated by men. Despite the relegation of women to the periphery, however, the frontier myth has never lacked for rich imagery of the feminine. The archetype of relevance to questions of the feminine in the frontier is that of the Great Goddess, also called the Great Mother. Comparative mythology reveals the evolution of the feminine from early times through its critical turning points to its contemporary condition. As Annette Kolodny discusses it, feminine imagery in the frontier is grounded in the principle of gratification. Appearing as Mother, Virgin, and Mistress, the feminine is, thus, defined in relation to masculine needs and desires and also in terms of mutually exclusive roles.
