Copyright © 1996 by the University of Pennsylvania Press All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bender Bert. The descent of love : Darwin and the theory of sexual selection in American fiction, 1871-1926/; Bert Bender. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p.) and index. ISBN 0-8122-3344-1 (alk. paper) 1. American fiction-- 19th century--History and criticism. 2. Love stories, American-- History and criticism. 3. American fiction--20th century--History and criticism. 4. Literature and science--United States--History. 5. Man-woman relationships in literature. 6. Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882--Influence. 7. American fiction--English influences. 8. Evolution (Biology) in literature. 9. Mate selection in literature. 10. Courtship in literature. 11. Love in literature. 12. Sex in literature. I. Title. PS374.L6B46 1996 813'.409354--dc20 95-42582 CIP Frontispiece: "The Descent of Love," by Tony Angell. This image is from the end of Kate Chopin's The Awakening. Just before Edna Pontellier drowns, "A bird with a broken wing was beating the air above, reeling, fluttering, circling disabled down, down to the water." -iv- |