Feminist fiction challenges social norms and male privilege, often featuring strong heroines. The genre dates back to the 15th century, with more female authors emerging in the 19th century. African-American writers contributed in the 20th century, while second-wave feminists used science fiction and fantasy to critique society. Early 21st-century trends include a divide between third-wave feminists and post-feminists.
The term “feminist fiction” refers to creative works, typically written by women, that challenge social norms, gender roles, and male privilege. Contrary to popular opinion, this term does not describe all, or even most, fiction written by female authors. While it can be categorized by era, feminist literature often falls into another genre or subgenre, such as romantic fiction, science fiction, and African-American fiction. Feminist stories usually involve strong, independent heroines struggling to find a place for themselves in society.
While feminist fiction encompasses a literary tradition that dates back to the 15th-century works of French author Christine de Pisan, the genre didn’t truly begin to flourish until more women began writing in the 19th century. With more female authors and readers, new genres began to emerge in 15, such as domestic fiction and sentimental fiction. Early feminist writers such as Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen were able to use these genres to critique and satirize the treatment of women in England during this period. Bronte’s Jane Eyre offers readers a proto-feminist heroine who is successful through her own self-sufficiency. Austen’s many romantic novels call attention to women’s reliance on marriage for security reasons and are still popular with modern readers.
The coming of the 20th century saw many more feminist authors emerge, using their fiction as a means of protesting the status of women at the time. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman depicts a young wife driven mad by a confined husband and family. The Awakening by Kate Chopin is one of the earliest stories dealing with female sexuality, although it was not published until well after her death.
Several African-American writers made important contributions to the genre of feminist fiction in the 20th century. This type of feminist fiction focuses largely on the issues of sexism and racism in the United States. Toni Morrison, Alice Walker and Ann Petry have written many novels and short stories about strong black women struggling against gender roles and white privilege.
Beginning in the mid-20th century, the second wave feminist movement drew inspiration from the works of Simone de Beauvoir and Betty Friedan, who felt that women’s potential was hampered by a dominant patriarchal society. Sylvia Plath became a feminist icon following the publication of The Bell Jar, which she drew from her own struggles with mental illness and echoes Gilmore’s early work. During this period, several feminist authors rose to prominence by using science fiction and fantasy settings to critique the prevailing norms of their own culture. Margaret Atwood, Sheri S. Tepper, Octavia E. Butler, and Ursula K. Le Guin have all been recognized as notable authors within this genre.
Early 21st century trends in women’s literature have seen a divide between third-wave feminists seeking to make the movement more inclusive and post-feminists who believe feminism has already achieved most of its goals. Many argue that the post-feminist – chick-lit – genre is a throwback to the previous narrative in which women depended on men to satisfy their needs. As we enter the 21st century, feminist literature continues to strive to redefine itself and reflect the issues of women around the world.
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