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Article by: Joanna Knowles, freelance writer at Globe Soup.

Lady Liberty – The Female Colossus 

In 1886, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled to the world. A female statue depicting freedom for America, a recognised sculpture that, despite her stoney silence, speaks volumes. A possibly lesser-known fact is that within her framework there stands a plaque with a poem inscribed. This poem, dedicated to Lady Liberty, is titled “The New Colossus”, and was written by a female writer named Emma Lazarus. The power of the written word combined with the extraordinary size of the statue meant that, even centuries ago, women were there, writing, reading, ruminating; their musings transcribed for all the world to see. 

Strong female characters have always been present in literature, but its how they have been depicted that has varied. 

‘Frailty, thy name is woman.’ (Hamlet Act 1, Scene 2) William Shakespeare

Historically, women have been disadvantaged in terms of literature. In the nineteenth century, around the same time that Lady Liberty was herself unveiled, the levels of education between the sexes were unbalanced, their reading choices restricted, and the general societal impression was one where women could be easily influenced, seen as weak compared to their male counterparts, and not to be considered in an employment capacity. Shakespearean plays saw male actors dressed as female characters, and male pseudonyms were used to disguise female writers.  

Female fictional characters were typically described as potential mad women with a penchant for destruction (hello, Mrs Rochester in the attic, please step away from any open flames), or weakened at the thought of remaining a spinster (at least send the wedding dress to the dry cleaners, if you insist on wearing it, Miss Havisham), or shrewd, manipulative harlots with a desire only to succeed (yes, Rebecca Sharp, that man is indeed a Duke…wait, why are you straightening your hem…? And Mrs Danvers, please put back the silverware and trinkets…)

But along came the likes of Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott, who, with the help of their brilliantly written and incredibly brave female protagonists, started to introduce their female readers to the notion that they could challenge societal expectations of their time. Look at Emma in Sense and Sensibility, where the differences between the sexes are drawn to the readers attention, ‘One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other,’ and in Little Women, Josephine is the opposite of what was expected of her, ‘If I was a boy, we’d run away together, and have a capital time; but as I’m a miserable girl, I must be proper, and stop at home.’ (Chapter 21) 

As the decades passed, female protagonists were becoming more common, and so were the writers. 

What makes a great female protagonist?

A great female protagonist can vary. It could be the female soldier, dressed for battle, brave and strong; or the teenage girl that overcomes her mental health anxieties. It could be the woman next door who saves a baby from a burning fire, or a single mother who works four unremarkable jobs just to send her boy to college. It is reading a story of determination, of bravery, of fighting against the odds, or being held accountable when knowing they are in the right. Its about believing in oneself, recognising your strengths, and trusting your instincts. 

Female protagonists nowadays can be anything. The fictional world has welcomed the strong, female lead and can be found in most fictional genres. Female writers are also branching out, experimenting with new concepts, characters, with the freedom to digress from the norm. Bernadine Evaristo states that, ‘as a storyteller, I like to mix things up temporally, spatially and stylistically – to cross the borders of genre, culture and history.’ 

Female novelists are winning awards, teaching in universities, and encouraging women to reach their potential. Take Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus as an example, or Roar, by Cecelia Ahern. These stories are challenging views and experimenting via the wonderful medium of the written word. 

Its not to say that men are no longer credible heroic protagonists, they absolutely are. There will always be room for the Bilbo Baggins, the Ebenezer Scrooges and the Mr Darcy’s in fiction, they are classics for a reason, but by introducing female heroines into the mix, this can offer more variety, more points of view, and more diversity. Fiction is about choice, reading what interests the reader, what they feel drawn to. 

What it does offer is diversity in opinions and viewpoints. Those attracted to the romantic hero rescuing his fair maiden can still engage with a plethora of choice available on the bookshelves, but it also means that those that might prefer the heroine rescuing the hero might have options too. 

What happens next…?

“Give a girl an education and introduce her properly into the world, and ten to one she has the means of settling well, without further expense to anybody.’ (Mansfield Park) 

Whether reading or writing, there is room now for everyone, irrespective of their gender. Good writing is based on merit, and success is available to those that inspire, create and engage the reader. As Hilary Mantel stated, ‘write a book you’d like to read. If you wouldn’t read it, why would anyone else? Don’t write for a perceived audience or market.’ Writing is a craft, and with the boundaries spreading wide and previous notions being challenged, the focus can be instead put back into the simplicity of the written word, and as a means of entertainment and holiday. As Henry James said, “there was a comfortable feeling abroad that a novel is a novel, as a pudding is a pudding, and that this was the end of it.’ (The Art of Fiction, 1884)

Reading is a hobby that can evolve and grow. Its preferred styles and genres will adapt as society adapts, but, like the Statue of Liberty herself, it is sure to remain an ever-present pastime throughout the decades to come. 

“From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.”

(The New Colossus, by Emma Lazarus)

Joanna Knowles – Author, Writer, Prolific Reader, Lover of Cake.

Joanna lives in the south of England with her family, in a house with far too many books, and a cat who often ignores her. She hates to fly, but loves to travel; she prefers paperbacks to eBooks, and she adores American sitcoms. Alongside her freelance work, she has also recently signed a two-book deal with Orion books for her fiction novels. She can often be found slumped over her desk, with copious amounts of tea and a stack of beautiful, but unused notepads.