Women in Literature
An introductory lesson
Equality
When we ask the question, Are women equal to men? in what
ways are we using the word "equal"?
Discuss in groups
Thinking about equality
What if you lived elsewhere? What differences are there from
country to country, community to community, today?
Can you think of 3 examples?
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than
others”
– George Orwell
Limited equality for women – possible factors
Example: Religion
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will
make a helper suitable for him.“
– NIV, Genesis 2:18
What other factors can you think of?
Discuss in groups
Class mini debate
“Clearly, women are not equal to men”
The emergence of female authors
• Austen ‘A Lady’ (1811)
• Pseudonyms: Eliot (1857) and the Brontë sisters (1846)
• “Mrs Gaskell” (1853)
Improvements for women
What does feminism mean?
“The advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of
the sexes”
-Oxford English Dictionary
Women in Literature
When we consider women in literature, we should consider:
• Women as writers
• Female characters written by women
• Female characters written by men
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