Books that Feature the Theme of Femininity

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.

Miss Julie

by August Strindberg

Publication year 1888

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Femininity, Sexual Identity, Social Class, Power & Greed

Tags Drama, Naturalism, Scandinavian Literature, Social Class, Education, Education, Dramatic Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

Miss Julie is a naturalistic play produced in 1888 by the Swedish playwright and novelist August Strindberg. The play follows the acute romantic entanglement of the three characters: Miss Julie, a young aristocratic woman; Jean, her father’s well-read and well-traveled valet; and Kristine, the cook. Through the psychological battle of wills between Julie and the ruthless Jean, the play explores themes of Class Conflict and Social Hierarchy, Gender Roles and Power Dynamics, and The Complexity... Read Miss Julie Summary

Moll Flanders

by Daniel Defoe

Publication year 1722

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Good & Evil, Marriage, Social Class, Colonialism, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies, Gender Identity

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, British Literature, World History

Published in 1722, The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe tells the life story of a woman who carves her own path through late 17th-century England and North America. Like Defoe’s first novel, Robinson Crusoe, this work also tells the tale of a singular individual who overcomes adversity—in her case, extreme poverty—to become considerably wealthy. Moll Flanders is a wife, a thief, a sex worker, and an impresario. She is... Read Moll Flanders Summary

Moon Tiger

by Penelope Lively

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Femininity, Death

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, British Literature, Military & War, World History, Classic Fiction

Penelope Lively’s 1987 novel Moon Tiger is a work of historical fiction. Set primarily in England and Egypt during the 20th century, the novel is a frame story that joins protagonist Claudia Hampton on her deathbed as she reflects on the relationships, memories, and historical forces that shaped her life. The author was awarded the 1987 Booker Prize for the novel. Moon Tiger explores the subjective nature of memory, the difference between lived and linear... Read Moon Tiger Summary

Murder by Cheesecake

by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Love, Nostalgia, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Death, Appearance & Reality, Family, Friendship, Community, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction

... Read Murder by Cheesecake Summary

My Fair Lady

by Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe

Publication year 1956

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Femininity, Economics, Education, Shame & Pride

Tags Humor, Dramatic Literature, Historical Fiction, Music, Romance, Classic Fiction, Comedy & Satire

My Fair Lady, a musical by Alan Jay Lerner (book and lyrics) and Frederick Loewe (music), opened on Broadway to tremendous critical and popular success in 1956, starring Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews as Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle. Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s popular play Pygmalion (1914) and inspired by the Greek myth of “Pygmalion and Galatea,” the musical takes place in early-20th-century London, satirizing issues of class hierarchies, gender disparity, and how language... Read My Fair Lady Summary

Nana

by Émile Zola, Transl. Gerhard Krüger

Publication year 1880

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Social Class, Nation, Fame, Beauty, Power & Greed, Femininity, Masculinity

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Love & Sexuality, Realism, Realistic Fiction, Naturalism, Social Class, European History, French Literature

... Read Nana Summary

Necessary Trouble

by Drew Gilpin Faust

Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Coming of Age, Femininity, Gender Identity, Race, Social Class, Education, Nation

Tags US History, Politics & Government, Gender & Feminism, Post-War Era, Southern Literature, Women`s Studies, World History, Biography

... Read Necessary Trouble Summary

Neon Gods

by Katee Robert

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Love

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Mythology, Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Neon Gods Summary

Night at the Fiestas

by Kirstin Valdez Quade

Publication year 2015

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Femininity, Race, Coming of Age, Place, Family, Colonialism, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Latin American Literature, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Night at the Fiestas is a 2015 story collection by New Mexican author Kirstin Valdez Quade. The collection won the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Award, and after its publication, Valdez Quade was recognized as a “Top 5 Writer Under 35” by the National Book Foundation. In 2021, Valdez Quade revised one of the stories, “The Five Wounds” into an award-winning novel of the same title, establishing herself as an important new voice in... Read Night at the Fiestas Summary