A Sorceress Comes to Call

Cordelia serves as the protagonist of A Sorceress Comes to Call. She undergoes a significant transformation from a passive, controlled character to one who actively asserts her agency.

At the beginning of the novel, Cordelia is depicted as a shadow of her mother, Evangeline. The text describes her as “a badly washed-out copy of her mother, like a handbill that had been left to fade in the sun” (32), emphasizing Cordelia’s lack of autonomy and individuality. Her physical appearance, mirroring but diminished from her mother’s, symbolizes Evangeline’s overpowering influence and the suppression of Cordelia’s identity. Cordelia’s initial actions and thoughts are largely dictated by fear and the obedience spell that her mother casts on her, highlighting her role as a character confined by external control. This early portrayal establishes Cordelia’s struggle to find her own voice and independence.

As the narrative progresses, Cordelia’s character evolves. Her growing alliances with figures like Hester and Penelope’s ghost are instrumental in this shift, as these relationships offer her both support and a broader perspective. Moments of courage, such as her attempt to protect Bernard from

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