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 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 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 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
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Romance, Sports, Relationships
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: World, Biography, Politics / Government, History: European, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Disability, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Romance, Humor, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 1937
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender
Tags American Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World, Classic Fiction
“The Chrysanthemums” is a short story by American author John Steinbeck, originally published in 1937 in Harper’s Magazine. It was later added to Steinbeck’s collection of short stories titled The Long Valley, which was published in 1938, and it was adapted into a short film by Steve Rossen in 1990.The story opens with a description of a grey winter day in the Salinas Valley of California, where many of Steinbeck’s writings are set. After describing... Read The Chrysanthemums Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Urban Development, Information Age, African American Literature
Publication year 2004
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Play: Drama, Relationships, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, Class, American Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy
The Clean House, which premiered at Yale Repertory Theatre in 2004 and opened Off-Broadway in 2006, was the first major play by celebrated American playwright Sarah Ruhl, whose other widely recognized works include Eurydice (2004), Dead Man’s Cell Phone (2007), and In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) (2009). The Clean House received a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize in 2004 and was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Ruhl also earned... Read The Clean House Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Literary Fiction, Gothic Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1954
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Technology, Cold War, American Literature, Education, Education, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
“The Cold Equations” is a science fiction short story by American author Tom Godwin, which originally appeared in a 1954 edition of Astounding magazine. The story stood out long after its publication and was considered one of the best science fiction short stories published before 1965. It was also reprinted in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929-1964.The pilot of an Emergency Dispatch Ship (EDS) launched from a larger ship, the Stardust, is... Read The Cold Equations Summary
Publication year 1982
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Colonialism
Tags Gender / Feminism, American Literature, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, History: World, LGBTQ
The Color Purple is an epistolary novel—a novel told in letter form—in which Alice Walker traces the gradual liberation of Celie, a poor, Black woman who must overcome abuse and separation from her beloved sister Nettie. Set in the South and an unnamed African country during the 1930 to 1940s, the novel is a study in the ways in which Black women use their faith, relationships, and creativity to survive racial and sexual oppression. Several... Read The Color Purple Summary
Publication year 1722
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, Restoration
The Conscious Lovers is a sentimental comedy play by 18th-century playwright Richard Steele. The play was first performed at Drury Lane in 1722, and it was published the same year with a different Epilogue. The Conscious Lovers, which is based loosely on Andria, or The Woman of Andros, a comedy by ancient Roman playwright Terence, is an explicitly moral comedy, following characters that are rewarded for their uprightness: Bevil Jr. wants to marry Indiana, a woman... Read The Conscious Lovers Summary