Strong Female Literary Characters
Throughout history, famous female literary characters have played important roles in storytelling and continually affirm women to be strong and confident. Whether they are part of beloved classics or modern young adult novels, these female characters symbolize the depth and complexity of womanhood.
Of the most iconic characters in English literature is none other than Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. She is a stubborn, loyal, and self-assured young woman who is headstrong in her belief in marrying for love instead of money, an idea unfathomable at the time. Her refusal to accept patriarchal societal norms makes her one of the most renowned defenders of women, to this day. Another character from a beloved classic is Josephine March from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Unlike the rest of the March sisters, Jo is well-known for her temper tantrums. This trait of hers provides a startling contrast to the idealized female of the time. She is a fiery and independent woman who refuses to conform to gender expectations. In Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre is an orphan who grew up with constant punishment for her boldness and sense of justice. She faces many hardships, but manages to survive her cruel aunt and the abusive girls’ school she attended. When Jane grows up, she works as a governess while keeping her independent spirit and moral fortitude intact.
An unusual - yet strong - character to list is Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester’s entire community shuns her and labels her a sinful adulterer while she bears the responsibility of raising a child alone. She is forced to wear a red ‘A’ for Adultery for the rest of her life, but she is determined to raise her daughter. She withstands the copious amounts of hatred and shame directed at her, making her a great example of a strong woman who made peace with her suffering and chose to display the subtle power of a refined heroine instead. A classic on the reading list of some high schools is Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. The main character, Janie Crawford, has to endure a life of servitude and discontent at the hands of the man that she marries. Even though she is physically beaten and mistreated, she overcomes a series of tragic events to find true love. In the meantime, she also aims to find herself. Another female in a similar situation is Celie from The Color Purple by Alice Walker. She is emotionally and physically mistreated by her father, and then by her husband. However, she is able to transform from a weak, wounded woman into a confident, independent one through love and forgiveness.
Though the characters mentioned above are all strong in their own ways, they aren’t aimed at children. Fortunately, there are many books written for young girls featuring young female protagonists. One fiery young character is Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. She is a chatty girl who, despite being an orphan, proves that it is not what you have in life that matters but what you make of it. With her sharp tongue and refreshing attitude, she tackles each obstacle in an inventive way. Yet another iconic female character in literature is Nancy Drew. Though the character was created by Edward Stratemeyer, the Nancy Drew series was ghostwritten by multiple authors and published under a collective pseudonym: Carolyn Keene. Nancy is groundbreaking because she is not merely a female sidekick to a leading male counterpart; she is bold and fiercely intelligent. It is her superior intellect that helps her solve the complex mysteries, not her looks.
One of the more modern examples of female characters aimed towards young adults is Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Not only is she determined and loyal, but she is also a highly skilled archer and hunter who leads the rebellion against the tyranny of the Capitol. In the alternate universe of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Hermione Granger could have been the main protagonist. Even though she does not have a heritage of magic, she is a gifted witch whose magic comes more naturally to her than it does to most others. Her appetite for learning makes her not only a star pupil at Hogwarts, but also a great friend to Ron and Harry.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, once said, “There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a great competition and rivalry between the two. There is a third power stronger than both, that of the women.” Be it fiery personalities or everyday heroines, there have been countless brave and empowering women in literature that have inspired generations of women and will continue to do so for years to come.
Citations:
Jackson, H. (2020, March 7). 12 Amazing Female Characters in Literature to Lift Your Mood. Retrieved from https://www.mydomaine.com/famous-female-characters-in-literature
Team, S. (2012, January 11). Literature's Feistiest Females. Retrieved from https://www.stylist.co.uk/books/literatures-feistiest-females/124741
