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.

Marie Antoinette

by Antonia Fraser

Publication year 2001

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Power & Greed, Apathy, Conflict, Fear, Joy, Femininity, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, The Past, Place, Social Class, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Biography, Historical Nonfiction, European History, Politics & Government

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Mary

by Nat Cassidy

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Revenge, Femininity, Mental Health, Aging, Midlife, Death, Place, Teamwork, Community, Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

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Mary Barton

by Elizabeth Gaskell

Publication year 1848

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Family, Social Class, Equality

Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Historical Fiction, Romance, Social Class, British Literature, World History, Victorian Era

Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester is the 1848 debut novel of Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell. It tells of the Victorian working class in Manchester, England, from 1839 to 1842, focusing on the story of the eponymous young female heroine. Through the experiences of two families—the Bartons and the Wilsons—it explores contemporary political and domestic issues during a time of increased industrialization and class tensions. As with much of Gaskell’s work, Mary Barton is narrated by... Read Mary Barton Summary

Matriarch

by Tina Knowles

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Femininity, Race, Coming of Age, Midlife, The Past, Family, Mothers, Fame

Tags Memoir & Autobiography

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Matrix

by Lauren Groff

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Sexual Identity, Gender Identity, Femininity

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Medieval, Gender & Feminism, World History, Religion & Spirituality

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Medea

by Seneca

Publication year 49

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Femininity, Family, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Rome, Philosophy, Philosophy, Dramatic Literature, Classical Period, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

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Meg Merrilies

by John Keats

Publication year 1818

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Environment, Aging, Femininity

Tags Lyric Poem, British Literature, Science & Nature

“Meg Merrilies” (sometimes titled “Old Meg she was a gipsy” or simply “old Meg”) is a short, playful ballad by the English Romantic poet John Keats. It was written on Keats’s walking tour of northern England and Scotland in 1818. At the time, Keats was worried about the health of his brother, Tom, and about his own health; the tuberculosis that would soon kill Tom had already begun to manifest in Keats. While his doctor... Read Meg Merrilies Summary

Men Who Hate Women

by Laura Bates

Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Nature Versus Nurture, Community, Equality, Science & Technology

Tags Gender & Feminism, Women`s Studies, Social Justice, Trauma & Abuse

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Milk and Honey

by Rupi Kaur

Publication year 2014

Genre Poetry Collection, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Femininity, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Love, Shame & Pride, Race, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Plants, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Self Discovery, Beauty, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Gender & Feminism, Instapoetry, Relationships, Trauma & Abuse

From 2014 to 2024, six million copies of Rupi Kaur’s debut collection, milk and honey, were sold, making it one of the best-selling poetry books of the 21st century. It’s rise to fame is unusual. A Canadian writer of Indian heritage who amassed a large following through social media, Kaur specializes in short, vernacular poems, often made up of only a few lines, which are accompanied by original line drawings. Kaur was at first unable... Read Milk and Honey Summary

Miss Hinch

by Henry Sydnor Harrison

Publication year 1911

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Femininity, Justice

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Journalism

Henry Sydnor Harrison’s murder mystery “Miss Hinch” is a short story that debuted in McClure’s Magazine in 1911. Harrison was an American novelist, short story author, and journalist from Sewanee, Tennessee, who was born in 1880. The story follows two crafty women through chilly New York streets. Gossip about Miss Hinch, an actress-turned-murderess, pulses through the city as she remains on the run. She uses her skill with costume to evade capture while being chased... Read Miss Hinch Summary

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