This thematic Collection highlights Books that Feature the Theme of Femininity. Through novels, plays, and works of nonfiction, the selections in this Collection explore the feminine experience in a variety of historical settings and cultures as they examine topics such as gender roles, feminism, and what it means to be feminine.
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family
Tags Disability, Gender / Feminism, Humor
Publication year 1905
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Society: Education, Natural World: Environment
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Indian Literature, Asian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
The author of “Sultana’s Dream” is Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, popularly known as Begum Rokeya (“Begum” is the Urdu equivalent of Mrs.). The story is a science fiction social satire that features a feminist utopia called Ladyland. As the title suggests, the narrative takes the form of a dream that the narrator experiences. The narrator is a woman called Sultana (the Arabic title for an empress or the wife of a sultan). The story was originally... Read Sultana's Dream Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Music, Realistic Fiction, British Literature, Arts / Culture, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Gender / Feminism, History: African , History: European, Love / Sexuality, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction
Swing Time (2016) is renowned author Zadie Smith’s fifth novel. Inspired by classic movie musicals and Smith’s childhood passion for musical theater, Swing Time is a story about women, how forms of privilege warp our worldviews, and the ways in which history informs our present. The novel is divided into seven parts, each narrated by the same unnamed protagonist sometimes as a child and sometimes as an adult.One of the most respected literary voices of... Read Swing Time Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Humor
Publication year 2007
Genre Collection of Letters, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism
Tags Race / Racism, Education, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Leadership/Organization/Management, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice
Publication year 1887
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: World, Psychology, Historical Nonfiction, Journalism, Social Criticism, Health / Medicine, Mental Illness
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Humor
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Teams
Tags History: World, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction
Publication year 2
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Life/Time: Midlife, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity
Tags Lyric Poem, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Ancient Rome, Didacticism, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, History: European, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Philosophy, Classical Period, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Publication year 1963
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags American Literature, Classic Fiction, Southern Gothic
The Ballad of the Sad Café and Other Stories (1951) is a collection of short stories and a novella by Carson McCullers. The author, a seminal part of the Southern Gothic Literature genre, rose to fame with her first novel, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1940), which shares many themes with the stories in the collection. Other notable works by McCullers include the novels Reflections in a Golden Eye (1941) and The Member of... Read The Ballad of the Sad Cafe Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Femininity
Tags Indian Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
The Bear and the Nightingale (2017) is a historical fantasy novel by Katherine Arden. The story is set in medieval Russia and was heavily inspired by the country’s folklore and history. It follows Vasilisa “Vasya” Petrovna, a girl who lives in an isolated village at the edge of a forest and can communicate with household spirits and other supernatural beings that others cannot see. Her life is upended when her father marries a pious woman... Read The Bear and the Nightingale Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Life/Time: Aging
Tags Gender / Feminism, Sociology, Psychology, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Politics / Government
Naomi Wolf’s The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women was published in 1990 and republished in 2002 by HarperCollins with an updated introduction. At the time of its original release, The Beauty Myth was considered a seminal feminist work for its analysis of the way the market—and its consumer culture—generates and perpetuates the myth of beauty to control women on a psychological level. This study guide refers to the 2009 HarperCollins... Read The Beauty Myth Summary
Publication year 1929
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Femininity
Tags Classic Fiction, African American Literature, Race / Racism, Historical Fiction, Social Justice, History: U.S.
Publication year 1666
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Education, Education, British Literature, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Gender / Feminism, History: European, Military / War, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, Age of Enlightenment, Restoration
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 1436
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Travel Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction, Biography
The Book of Margery Kempe is a 15th-century autobiography of an English mystic, wife, and mother who devoted much of her life to Christian spirituality. Kempe (b. ca. 1373) was a semi-literate member of the upper-middle class from King’s Lynn, a mercantile town in Norfolk, a county in eastern England. She gave birth over a dozen times before she convinced her husband to embrace a chaste marriage. Kempe claimed to have divine revelations in which... Read The Book of Margery Kempe Summary