The Importance Of Feminist Literature

What does it mean to be feminist? To be feminist, at its core, means to believe in the “political, social, economic, and personal equality of the sexes.” Throughout most of history, women have been confined to the domestic sphere, while public life has been reserved for men. For example, in medieval Europe, women were denied the right to own property, to be educated, or to participate in public life. Even more shockingly, at the end of the 19th century in France, they were commanded to cover their heads in public, and, in parts of Germany, a husband had the right to sell his wife for land. Thankfully, most of these outrages rules are considered outdated due to the impact of feminist literature. Without feminist books, women in first world countries would not have had the rights to vote, to run for president, or the right to own their bodily autonomy. It is evident that feminist literature is significant because it influenced many people, preserved feminist history, and allows us to better address unequal and oppressive gender relations.

First of all, literary feminism has influenced many people and helped spread the idea of equality. For instance, Toni Morrison, the author of “Beloved” was inspired to write her award winning novel after reading the biography of Margaret Garner, who, like Sethe (the main character of “Beloved,”) escaped from slavery in Kentucky and due to psychological effects, ended up deliberately harming a member of her family. “Beloved” ended up winning a Pulitzer Prize for fiction, which just goes to show that the impact it had was unmatched. Many women have also started feminist book clubs and newspapers after reading feminist literature. In fact, Susan B. Anthony, a renowned suffragette, decided to begin her feminist newspaper, The Revolution, after reading Mary Wollstonecraft's “A Vindication of the Rights of Women.” Many people have been impacted by feminist novels, which, in turn, has helped disseminate the idea of equality.

Second, feminist theory type books have helped preserve and interpret feminist history. Preserving history is important because it reminds us of the struggles that the generations before us faced. “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin - a novel detailing one woman's desire to find and live fully within her true self- does exactly that. After reading it, I was shocked at the realization that women of past generations were restricted both emotionally and physically. To me, the most stark realization was that the main character wasn't allowed to do anything that would be considered socially unacceptable. If she did, she would be shunned by society and left out to dry. Reading this book reminded me of the struggles that previous generations of women faced and how hard women worked to get to the point where most of us can vote, access sanitary products, and get an education. The book “The Declaration of the Rights of Woman” by Olympe de Gouges also carried similar themes. After reading it, I was shocked at how far the world has come. Arguments that de Gouges made in the book would be considered “basic” for this time period. However, at the time it was published, her arguments were seen as ridiculous and insane. It is clear to me that feminist theory books have aided in the preservation and interpretation of feminist history.

Last, feminist literature helps us artistically address unequal and oppressive gender politics. When I first read “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood, I was surprised to find out that the plot was inspired by the political and economic events occurring in the late 1980s. After doing further research on the book, I discovered that Atwood based the book off of both past and present events that were significant for the feminist movement. This was particularly interesting for me and motivated me to do a deep dive into the abortion rights movement. Surprisingly, “The Handmaid’s Tale” is still relevant today. Women protesting frequently dress up as handmaids to send an eerie reminder to politicians to be careful with the decisions they make regarding women’s rights. Another book I read called “Girl, Woman, Other” by Bernardine Evaristo also demonstrated this. The book focused on the different lives of queer women of color. It is centered around various feminist topics of interest such as abortion, sexuality, and discrimination. Evaristo’s artistic way of criticizing policies that are discriminatory against women is extremely unique and memorable. As a person of color, this book was particularly relatable to me because it placed importance on the relevance of indigenous traditions.

It is clear that feminism would not be possible without writers like Toni Morrison, Olympe de Gouges, and Margaret Atwood. Their work pointed out the need for acknowledgment and activism. They also proved that a place exists for feminist dialogue and and its literary tradition as a whole. In my opinion, the significance of feminist literature is huge.