Women's History Month: celebrating Women’s Literature

By Atalie Sherman

The month of March is federally recognized as Women's History month, a time in which the contributions of women to society are celebrated. By breaking barriers faced by their gender, many women have achieved and excelled in their work, both in historic and contemporary society. Three of these brilliant women, through their contributions in literature, continue to empower the current generation as they empowered the women of their time.

Picture of Women’s History Month banner from womenshistorymonth.gov

Susanna Rowson

British-American novelist Susanna Rowson wrote the first American bestselling novel, “Charlotte Temple”. Rowson, through a story of a young girl seduced by a British man, sought to warn young women against the dangers of exploitative social life. She encouraged women to make educated decisions rather than be driven by lust as society believed them to be. Later in life, Rowson advocated for the minorities of American society, founding a charity for widows and orphans, writing pieces on slavery opposition and prioritizing young women’s education. As an education advocate, Rowson founded the first American school for young girls in Boston in 1797. As a successful author, playwright and educator, Rowson promoted the value of young women in society, positively impacting women in her generation and many generations after.

Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson is considered one of the most influential poets in American history. Famed for her unique writing style of poetry that utilized unconventional poetic rules, her poetry centered around broad topics, ranging from ideas of death and truth to society and nature. In one of her infamous poems, “Hope is the thing with feathers,” she compares the prevalence of hope to that of a bird that sings in the human soul, tackling a complicated topic with rich figurative language and extended metaphor. Similarly, while discussing the topic of death in “Because I could not stop for Death,” Dickinson personifies death to convey its inevitability, able to communicate a complex topic using irony and personification. As a well-respected poet, Emily Dickinson’s work has been essential to the success of female poets since her time, and her work continues to open up insightful conversations and rich topics.

Maya Angelou

Picture of Maya Angelou giving a speech provided by Creative Commons

As an American author, poet and civil rights leader, Maya Angelou is hailed as one of the most prolific activists of social equality, both for women and African Americans. Writing from a young age in her distinct autobiographical style, Angelou focused most on topics of racism and personal strength stemming from her difficult childhood. A powerful advocate of racial equality in the civil rights movement, Angelou expressed her yearning for equality in her poem “Caged Bird,” in which she compares the restricted life of a caged bird to one who flies free. In addition to using her platform to critique the social inequity for African Americans, Angelou expressed distaste for the heavy expectations put onto women in her poems, particularly in one called “Woman Work”.  Angelou’s many accolades, including 50 honorary degrees and a Presidential Medal of Freedom, signify her meaningful work as a praised activist and poet who has made a powerful impact on women's history.

Serving as the role-models in literature of their time, these women authors continue to have a powerful impact on women’s history. Defining their place in this world through literature and showing their generation what was possible allowed not only for their success, but for the success of women in generations since. Appreciating the contributions of women in society, both past and present, allows for a proper celebration of female achievement during Women’s History Month.