The Success of Women in "Herland" Book Review by Nicky

The Success of Women in "Herland"
An analysis of the success of women as explored in Charlotte Gilman-Perkins' novel "Herland".
# 148171 | 1,081 words | 4 sources | MLA | 2011 | US
Published on Sep 16, 2011 in Literature (American) , English (Analysis) , Women Studies (Women and Society)


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Description:

This paper discusses how, in her novel "Herland", Gilman-Perkins can explore a world ran by women and, at the same time, illustrate how women could not just survive in a world of their own but do so quite well without even missing the presence of anyone else. It looks at how through this novel, Gilman-Perkins expresses her commentary on the plight of women in a society that not only fails to appreciate them for all that they are worth but also attempts to dominate them. In short, society just might be better off without men, she hints in this novel about a utopia that thrives and manages well without the interference of men and their clumsy Neanderthal ways.

From the Paper:

"Gilman-Perkins' personal experiences prompted a novel in which women are taken seriously and allowed to become complete individuals without the outside pressure of men forcing them to conform to their standards of what a woman should be. Ann Lane writes that Perkins believed that the subordination of women "began with recorded history and is located in women's economic dependence on men" (Lane 5). As a result of this independence, "half the human race was thereby demeaned" (5). According to Lane, Gilman believed that the "original balance" (5) was needed to restore "society and women could then pursue their own desires without being subjects of dominance" (Lane 5). In Herland, we see a type of society in which women are allowed to enjoy all of the benefits of being a woman."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Gilman-Perkins, Charlotte. Herland. University of Virginia Online Database. Information Retrieved April 17, 2009. <http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/GilHerl.html>
  • By Ann J. Lane. To Herland and Beyond. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press. 1997.
  • Meyering, Sheryl. "Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Overview." St. James Guide to Science Fiction. 1996. Information Retrieved April 17, 2009. GALE Resource Database.
  • Doskow, Minna, "Herland: Utopia in a Different Voice." Politics, Gender, and the Arts. 1992. www.infotrac.galegroup.com Information Retrieved April 17, 2009.

Cite this Book Review:

APA Format

The Success of Women in "Herland" (2011, September 16) Retrieved September 24, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/book-review/the-success-of-women-in-herland-148171/

MLA Format

"The Success of Women in "Herland"" 16 September 2011. Web. 24 September. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/book-review/the-success-of-women-in-herland-148171/>

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