With This Ring, I thee Control: Legal Constructions of Feminine Identity in Bleak House and The Fellowship of the Ring

TABLE OF CONTENTS 
Acknowledgements------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 
Introduction--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 
I. Construction of Feminine Identity Through Charles Dickens’ Bleak House--------------------- 9 
A. Breach of Promise------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10 
B. Marriage Contracts and the Effects of Coverture------------------------------------------ 14 
C. Women and Property Under the Law-------------------------------------------------------- 19 
D. Divorce------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25 
E. Wills---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28 
II. Control of Feminine Identity in The Fellowship of the Ring-------------------------------------- 30 
A. Contracts----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33 
B. Property and Possession----------------------------------------------------------------------- 35 
Conclusion--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 39 
 
 
 

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
I would like to express my deepest appreciation for my faculty advisor, Professor Stephen 
Arnott, who enthusiastically embarked on this “honors journey” with me. Without his guidance 
and emphasis upon the use of more verbs this thesis would not have been possible.
I would like to thank Professor Jeanne Kosieradzki for providing me with four years of 
exceptional mentorship. Her dedication and enthusiasm for the law will forever encourage me to 
consult my rulebook and to make certain that I have adequate insurance coverage.
A special thanks is extended to Professor Kris Deffenbacher for introducing me to the 
world of Bleak House. Without her sincere kindness and brilliant feedback I would have not been 
able to move forward with this project.
In addition, I would like to express my most sincere admiration for Jill Gaulding and Lisa 
Stratton, along with other staff members at Gender Justice. These insightful women provided 
practical meaning, as well as engaged dialogue, surrounding the research that I completed.
Lastly, I would like to extend gratitude to all friends and family members who 
encouraged me along the way. Thank you for listening (sometimes unwillingly) to my tangents 
and rants. I still have extended The Lord of the Rings trilogy on DVD if anyone wants to borrow 
it.