Katharine+Hepburn




 * Introduction**

"Life is to be lived. If you have to support yourself, you had bloody well better find some way that is going to be interesting. And you don't do that by sitting around." - Katherine Hepburn (Logan). Katherine Hepburn has extraordinary and unique personality traits. She went through obstacles in her life, as so everyone else in the world does. An impact made in history is different from one another, no impact is similar. No matter if her historical significance is a major impact or not, Katherine Hepburn made her mark in history.


 * Personal Background**

In Hartford, Connecticut on the day of May 12, 1907 Katherine Hepburn was born (Katherine Hepburn). Katherine was part of a family of four. This family included herself and both her mother and father and brother. Katherine was very devoted to her older brother (Smith). Katherine was very determined in her life. She was able to collect $75 in donations to buy toys for the poor Navajo children (Logan). When she was only twelve years old one of the biggest tragedies had happened one that changed her life forever. Katherine found her brother Tom hanging from the rafters by a bed sheet. When she found Tom he was already dead five hours. He was only fifteen when this happened (Smith). This tragedy struck Katherine hard. She began to attempt on taking on traits of her brother by trying to replace him. She thought of studying medicine at Yale (Smith).

To follow her mothers footsteps Katherine went to Bryn Mawr. This is where she started to act. This is where it started everything (Smith). Katharine later graduated from Bryn Mawr in 1928 with a degree in history and philosophy (Natale). Once she graduated she retained supreme self-confidence (Caryn). Katherine later married Ludlow Ogden Smith who she met at Bryn Mawr (Katherine Hepburn). She then landed a bit part on Broadway (United States). Katherine became a movie star rather quickly. She won Academy Awards for movie roles that she had done, and nominated for a dozen Oscars (Caryn).She stared in fifty-four movies, sixteen plays and nine television dramas (Logan). She then left Broadway but returned in1933 (Caryn). She got four wins for best actress (Vaill).

Katherine soon divorced Ludlow and started a twenty- five relationship with Spencer Tracey in the 1940s; he was also an actor and one that she worked with (American Cultural). To sum up all her life she wrote an autobiography in1991 (Natale). Later in life after many movies, plays, and television shows, in 2003 Katherine Hepburn died. She died at the age of 96. She managed to have a sixty-year career as an actress (Logan).


 * Personality traits**

Katherine Hepburn was a woman of many traits, where at times was very difficult to handle. She was the type of woman who had a striking individuality (Vaill). She was also very intellectual when it came to certain subjects. Katherine also was strong-headed woman and often-offended people unintentionally because her personality was strong (Logan). She was very successful and known for being remarkable (Natale). Ms. Hepburn was hard working but could not be worked hard then she could possibly handle (Smith). She was also bossy when she wanted something to be done her way ( Hepburns Enigma). With hard work came being liberal and that is exactly what Katherine was, she believed in what was right (Smith). ====Seeming as if she is very outgoing and speaks her mine at most times she was a bit of a loner. Katherine was very private and independent basically to herself that would mind her own business and hope others would do the same (Caryn). She was a great person who was strong-willed and sophisticated. Relationships with everyone were similar to a love hate relationship because she was mostly hard to handle (Natale). She was selfish and a self-absorbed person in which not everyone could handle (Contemporary Women’s). Some may say that her behavior was unconventional and over dramatic. While other admired how the way she acted got her to be such a great actress and successful (United States).====


 * Obstacles**

Katherine went through heartache and many obstacles throughout her life, just like everyone else in the world (Logan). Struggles and deaths that changed her out look on life (Natale). Katherine became devastated and shy once she lost someone very important to her (Katherine Hepburn). One major tough situation that Hepburn went through was finding her beloved older brother dead. She was very close to him and she changed her personality from that point (Smith). With a long-term alcoholic as a boyfriend Katherine felt there was no point in life beside herself ("The Hepburn Enigma"). Hepburn found herself with a reputation of being difficult. She then was fired from countless stage productions (Natale). Katherine was also in need of more money but she was only earning one hundred dollars (Logan). Many people that she worked with or came in contact with became very intimidated by her ("The Hepburn Enigma"). Many films that she was lead in were dismissed because of her actions and attitude (Katherine Hepburn). Katherine would get upset at herself for not being able to do what once came very easily to her (Smith). Not very many people liked Ms. Hepburn but she made many great films ad television shows (Caryn). Many assistants and directors were fed up with Katherine’s attitude and not everything worked out for her. She was a great person once you got to meet her but most people never got that chance (Natale).
 * Historical Significance**

Many different things made this woman historical in this big world. For example, Katherine was an icon for women all around the world (Natale). She was also a cultural figure for many people (The Hepburn Enigma). The reason for people looking at Ms. Hepburn in that way was because she had such humbling performances and was the greatest star in the firmament (smith). Katherine took a big step in her career she did something other women would not dare to ever do. That major act was when she took over he career as they say; she wanted to pick her own roles. Those roles were women that were strong, independent and physically fearless (Vaill). Katherine was not only a women who played major role model and strong roles but she would stand up for what she believed was right. Hepburn believed in the equality for women in a major way (Logan). She also was a crusader for women’s rights and for birth control (Natale). Overall Katherine Hepburn was a strong feminist ("Katherine Hepburn"). All women who were down graded by men for being women saw a different future when it came to Katherine. She showed many women how to stand up for what is right. She also taught them how to take control of your own life and not let anyone else take over it (Caryn). Hepburn changed many lives of women. She opened their eyes to something that they would not ever do (Johnson). Katherine once boycotted the Academy Award Ceremonies (Smith). At times she could be very demanding and independent but sometimes that may not work out for her. Besides the people that liked her she also had people that disliked her. Many of her co-workers and friends started to dislike Katherine but she showed them that they are making her stronger as a person (The Hepburn Enigma). Without a woman like Katherine Hepburn in the world no one would have stood up for what they believed. She was a role model to mostly everyone but she was still humble. Many people always thought she was a great person for doing what she believed was right. Not only for herself and her own life but also to show other women it is possible (Caryn). Katherine once said, “ As for me, prizes are nothing. My prize is my work” (Brainy quotes).


 * References**

Bart, Peter."Kate's fate: The true story?." //Variety//. 21 Jul. 2003: 5. //eLibrary//. Web. 08 Jan. 2015. Brainy Quote Katherine Hepburn. Web. 05 Feb. 2015 Johnson, Emma."Farewell to the last of the 'Ladies with an attitude...'." //Coventry Telegraph//. 16 Aug. 2014: 28. //eLibrary//. Web. 08 Jan. 2015. "Katherine Hepburn". United States History. Web. 05 Feb. 2015. Logan,Janet. "Kate the Great." New Moon(Duluth) 15.2 (2007): 18. //Proquest Learning Literature//. Web. 3 Oct. 2014. Smith, Zadie."The Divine Ms. H." 01 July. 2003. //The Gaurdian//. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. "The Hepburn Enigma". Contemporary Women's Issues Database. 01 Dec. 2003: 20. eLibrary. Web. 05 Feb. 2015. Vaill, Amanda. "Hepburn's Legacy." //Town & Country Monthly//. 01 May. 2004: 93. //eLibrary//. Web. 21 Sep. 2014