Confidence of MAIS Alumna Boosted by Professor, Publication

Anneliese Kvamme

© Western New Mexico University

Anneliese Kvamme’s “Marriage as Heroic Struggle in Milton’s Paradise Lost” was published in Confluence: The Journal of the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs. The editor called it “very compelling, insightful, and beautifully written essay.”

Kvamme said it was a 3,200-word condensed version of her roughly 8,000-word thesis, which she researched and composed with Dr. Debbie Heller’s “invaluable guidance and direction.”

The Lordsburg resident loves exploring literature, and is fascinated by John Milton’s depiction of the characters and relationships in “Paradise Lost,” particularly in the character of Eve and the marital relationship of Adam and Eve. “Milton’s marriages had greatly influenced him in his lifetime, so it stood to reason that the attitudes toward marriage he had developed through these experiences would have influenced his depiction of Adam and Eve,” she said. “Delving into this and into the literary influences of the time was an absorbing and engulfing experience.”

Most importantly, the process helped her trust herself. “Throughout my time at WNMU, I have often suffered from self-doubt, and Dr. Heller has repeatedly challenged me to push past those doubts and accomplish things I had not considered myself capable of doing. Her encouragement to reach beyond my self-limitations helped me develop confidence in myself as a scholar.”

She earned a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with emphases in English and writing last spring and is working to establish a dual credit English class at the high school where she teaches. “I am interested in exploring options for a Ph.D., but I am uncertain I will be able to find an option which will allow me to continue teaching in the process,” she said.

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