Herland
Herland: A Brief Synopsis
Meet the author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860—1935) was a prominent literary figure noted for her work as a writer, lecturer, publisher, and was considered an influential figure in the women’s rights movement here in the United States.
In 1894, Perkins divorced her husband and later sent her only daughter to live with him and his new wife. In this sense, she rejected the domesticity and maternal obligations that were so dominantly tied to the women of this time.
Perkins can be classified as a reformist, as she spent a large portion of her adulthood giving lectures on topics including: women, ethics, and labor. In addition, she published numerous works calling for radical social reform, particularly concerning women, motherhood, and economics. Just a few examples of these noteworthy publications include:
-Women and Economics (1898): a manifesto that called for the radical reform of concepts surrounding marriage, family, and home, as well as emphasizing the crucial need for economic independence for women.
-Concerning Children (1900): a rejection of societies conventional perceptions on the social and economic structure of motherhood. Perkins proposed creativity, the opportunity for mothers to have careers, and social-motherhood (a concept that is illustrated in Herland).
-Man-made World (1911): a harsh critique of male domination that has long been present throughout the world. Perkins outlines the negative implications that follow the dominance of males. She illustrates how such male dominance not only negatively impacts women, but the world and society as a whole.
Themes:
This page has paths:
- Intersectionality in Early Feminist Texts Gabrielle Borders
- Iola Leroy or Shadows Uplifted Gabrielle Borders
- Sultana's Dream Sarah Jackson
- Intersectionality Gabrielle Borders
