The History and Importance of Women’s Literature
Literature was one of many spheres in which women were a minority in representation in the 17th century. The tradition of women’s literature was ignored by society for centuries. Women writers were not considered profound creators. Their novels were perceived with significant opposition. Some writers like George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) had to write under male pseudonyms to be considered solid writers (Basirizadeh et al. 3). George Eliot’s novels became phenomena in the 18th century due to their novelty and deep religious meaning. This has shown that women’s literature has a potential for development.
Women held an inferior position at that time. The stigma for women’s literature appeared because women produced most works for women and usually addressed issues actual to the female audiences at that time: marriage, children, wealth, and family (Rivera). The inferiority of women did not belittle their role in society and literature. Some women writers raised topics such as religion, inequality, infidelity, and progressive critical discourses within the community. Powerful and influential topics added value to the existing body of male-dominated literature. Women writers had written powerful and multifaceted characters that resemble real life, which was critical for the development of literature. Therefore, their input into the literature is essential to understanding the time of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
Books with unusual and feministic views allowed other women to understand their unique societal role and realize the inequality they experienced. Although there was a small range of work and life for women’s choices, most of them did not recognize their real opportunities in life. They were expected to marry and devote themselves only to their families. However, some women had chosen their career and self-expression as their main aim in life.
In women’s novels, writers’ social criticism represented their disagreement with existing social norms. Society was ready to blacklist and underappreciate women writers because they usually had written controversial opinions on war, existing social norms, and too progressive thoughts for their time (Rivera). A vivid example of social prejudice against women is the controversial reaction to the publication of Sarah Fielding and Anna Laetitia Barbauld. Both writers disagreed with the involvement of the British Empire in the Napoleonic Wars.
Another example of a big step in women’s literature is Virginia Woolf. In her work A Room of One’s Own (1929), she presented the provocative idea of women being in the literature world. Her narration provided a fictional character who gave the concept of the importance of women in literature (Rivera). She argued for a ‘room’ in the man-dominating world where women were the epitome of beauty and beloved ones (Basirizadeh et al. 3). Her work has created an entirely new movement that served as the inspiration for unique journals and the launching of recent publications dedicated to women in the literature.
Women’s Contribution to Early American Literature
Women’s literature presented various specters of issues that men had never experienced; therefore, female novels offered a new perspective on American life. In hard historical times for America, women’s literature was a mirror for every social problem that society had. The country underwent political, economic, and social shifts, substantially changing people’s minds (Snyder). The war losses and Industrial revolution included women in the workforce, forced them to work in challenging industries, and caused many children’s deaths (Basirizadeh et al. 5). Therefore, the feminist movement and literature had a significant meaning in the minds of the American population. Women’s literature wanted to create powerful and self-sufficient female characters representing the intelligent and strong women of the Industrial time.
Writers like Kate Chopin, Louisa May Alcott, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman created solid and independent characters. Each of them represented different paths that women could take in their life. Some characters like Josephine in Little Women showed devotion to creation and artistic career paths (Snyder). Josephine expressed direct denial of standard societal norms and worked for her success instead of marrying and oppressing her life choices (Basirizadeh et al. 3). Therefore, Little Women was a great success in the literary world. All three authors represented women as individuals with their fears, ambitions, and hopes for the future (Snyder). Although Kate Chopin and Louisa May Alcott were not active suffragists and were not interested in the feminist movement of the 19th century, they saw potential in women’s literature.
Another value that women’s literature had in society was introducing the topic of anti-discrimination. The feminist movement fights not only for the rights of white women, but they are invested in the lives of every woman. Thus, the suffragists’ campaign for women’s rights also influenced the anti-racism sentiments in the literature (Snyder). Women’s literature was the first step for a female audience; after recognizing feminist values, writers worked in favor of social and economic equality. Furthermore, the literature presented various effects of a patriarchal society on discrimination (Snyder). It is more vivid for women in society because they experience it firsthand. Thus, they can recognize the biggest frustrations connected with inequality.
The significant difference between male and female literature stands in sensitivity and ability to recognize social discrimination. White privileged male novelists would not represent the epoch so accurately because they had never experienced inequality. There were writers such as Charles Dickens, who devoted their novels and characters to the poor and diseased. However, the majority of literature was created and consumed by the wealthy population. Women’s literature became a form of expressing disagreement with existent social norms, offered a different perspective on standard women’s roles, and presented stories of real people.
Works Cited
Basirizadeh, Fatemeh Sadat, and Mahnaz Soqandi. “A Comparative Study of the Psychoanalytical Portrayal of the Women Characters by Virginia Woolf and Zoya Pirzad.” Britain International of Humanities and Social Sciences (BIoHS) Journal 1.1 (2019): 1-8. Web.
Rivera, Adrienne. “The History and Importance of Women’s Literature.” Our Blog, Books Tell You Why, Inc., Web.
Snyder, Nancy. “Women’s Contribution to Early American Literature.” Owlcation, The Arena Media Brands, LLC, Web.