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.

The Last Runaway

by Tracy Chevalier

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Race, Appearance & Reality, Marriage, Colonialism, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice, Truth & Lies

Tags American Literature, World History, Historical Fiction

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The Laws of Human Nature

by Robert Greene

Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Forgiveness, Hate & Anger, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Appearance & Reality, Family, Self Discovery, Community, Power & Greed, Science & Technology

Tags Psychology, Self-Improvement, Philosophy, Business & Economics, Leadership, Sociology

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The List

by Siobhan Vivian

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Femininity, Friendship, Siblings, Truth & Lies

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Dramatic Literature

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The Little Foxes

by Lillian Hellman

Publication year 1939

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Siblings, Marriage, Family, Justice, Femininity, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Drama, Classic Fiction, American Literature, Education, Education, World History, Dramatic Literature

Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes (1939) is often considered a classic American 20th-century drama. Set in Alabama in 1900, the play explores themes of greed, passive violence, and female agency in the deep south, not yet 50 years removed from the end of the Civil War. The Little Foxes premiered at The National Theatre on Broadway in New York City in 1939 starring Tallulah Bankhead as Regina, before touring for two seasons across the United... Read The Little Foxes Summary

The Lying Life of Adults

by Elena Ferrante

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Femininity, Coming of Age, Family

Tags Coming of Age, Social Class, Love & Sexuality, Gender & Feminism, Italian Literature, Women`s Studies, Modern Classic Fiction

The Lying Life of Adults (2020) by Elena Ferrante is a work of fiction. Set in Naples, Italy, the narrative is a coming-of-age story, also known as a bildungsroman, told by Giovanna Trada. Giovanna details her adolescence from 13 to 16 years of age and the growing pains she endured while searching for identity and autonomy. Themes include the struggle between good and evil, women as either sinners or saints, and compunction and gender roles... Read The Lying Life of Adults Summary

The Mad Wife

by Meagan Church

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Guilt, Loneliness, Femininity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Midlife, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Family, Marriage, Mothers, Community, Equality, Science & Technology

Tags Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Domestic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Horror & Suspense

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The Maltese Falcon

by Dashiell Hammett

Publication year 1930

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Apathy, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Love, Memory, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Death, The Past, Beauty, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Order & Chaos, Art, Good & Evil, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Appearance & Reality, Politics & Government, Social Class, Community, Immigration

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Roaring Twenties, Great Depression

Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon (1930) is a detective novel that was first serialized in the magazine Black Mask. As Hammett’s third novel, The Maltese Falcon includes the introduction of Sam Spade as the protagonist, a departure from the nameless Continental Op who narrated his previous stories. Spade’s hard exterior, cool detachment, and reliance on his own moral code would become staples of the hardboiled genre, and The Maltese Falcon has since been named one... Read The Maltese Falcon Summary

The Man of Mode

by George Etherege

Publication year 1676

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Love, Femininity, Masculinity, Marriage

Tags Classic Fiction, Comedy & Satire, Restoration

The Man of Mode (1676) is a Restoration comedy of manners set in fashionable 1670s London. In the play, the libertine rake Dorimant juggles a series of romantic intrigues while trying to maintain his reputation as the city’s premier wit and seducer. He toys with the devotion of Mrs. Loveit and secretly keeps the young Belinda as a secondary conquest, but his appetite for novelty is disrupted when he meets Harriet, an heiress whose sharp... Read The Man of Mode Summary