Final answer:
Miss Lucy's greatest problem lies in being shaped entirely by external events and societal expectations, which relegated her to a life shaped by the Civil War era and led to her remaining an obscure historical figure despite her potential for greatness.
Step-by-step explanation:
Miss Lucy's greatest problem could be described as being the victim of external circumstances and the confining expectations of her society. Lucy Dare's character and fate, governed by external events rather than internal drive, illustrate her position as a passive recipient of life's directions. Despite her possible inner strength and capacity for action, it's the external happenings that mold her into a figure of tragic heroism or ignominy in the eyes of her contemporaries and posterity. Lucy's life, marked by starvation, the pressures of war, and the burdens of her choices, leads to a solitary existence, haunted by the consequences of a single, defining moment.
Her problem is not merely personal but deeply tied to the historical and social milieu in which she lived. She was shaped by the ideals and tribulations of the Civil War era in Virginia, and her actions, unrecognized by her own time, had the potential to either ennoble or disgrace her, depending on the values of the judge. Moreover, her eventual obscurity underscores the often cruel disregard of women who step beyond their traditional roles, especially when their sacrifices do not align with prevailing societal ideals.