Pioneering Contributions to an Understanding of Maternal Sexual Desire

In her novel, O Pioneers! (1913), Willa Cather portrays the struggle of protagonist Alexandra Bergstrom to build a legacy for herself, her family, and the generations of female pioneers who would follow her on the wild land of the Nebraska prairie. The sociocultural mores of mid-19th century America posed formidable obstacles to the few women who were trailblazers and groundbreakers in settling the prairies of the Great Plains. Overcoming the obstacles of patriarchal and religious role definitions for females required that women like Alexandra possess extraordinary resources to succeed in making their mark on the land. Among these attributes were visionary imagination, confidence in their own capabilities, and intrinsic motivation.