Into the Darkest Corner: A Literary Feminist Examination in the Light of Authoritative Intervention

Abstract

This paper provides an investigation of Elizabeth Haynes’ novel Into the Darkest Corner. The paper focuses on exploring the impact of ‘authoritative intervention’ in cases of intimate partner violence. In this regard, authoritative intervention is examined as a factor that affects the protagonist to counteract against her perpetrator. Research gaps do exist regarding the impact of authoritative intervention on abused women’s decision to leave a violent relationship; hence, the necessity of this research is stressed. The discussion and analysis are carried out from a feminist psychoanalytic perspective in order to examine the emotional awakening process that led the protagonist to develop a ‘voice’ and demand her freedom from her violent husband. The struggle of the protagonist to put an end to her abusive marriage in light of the resistance factors that she has is the focal point of this paper. Authoritative intervention is to be highlighted amongst other resistance factors, a task that has not been addressed in the available literature on domestic violence in relation to feminist and psychoanalytic criticism up to date.