Herland: Sprinkled by a Sense of Rationality

Charlotte Gilman's deliberate use of stereotypes and utopias, as we have discussed once before, establish a realistic, yet modernist undertone that remains passive throughout the duration of the story. While most classify "Herland" according to these techniques, others argue that it is heavily influenced by other literary styles of American history. This idea or interpretation, assuming its support is valid, could easily become a plausible conclusion. "Herland," as I see it, is sprinkled by a sense of rationality; it reflects reasoning and a peculiar dedication to thought. Most of the factors that engender this idea can be derived by Gilman's perception of a flawless paradise, lying mainly within the vision of a utopia. As readers delve deeper into this motif, they slowly unravel subtle enlightenment ideas that hint towards the genesis and philosophies of rationality. Utopias, while most widely accepted as a modernist thought, can be made from rational reasoning and action.

First, Herland's intentional rebellion against tradition emerges as a crucial characteristic of their society, one that triumphs in progression and rationality. A civilization governed by self-criticism and reexamination is a clear indication of such practices and ideologies. Moadine tells the boys that "[they] have no laws over a hundred years old, and most of them are under twenty" (54). In contrast with tradition, Herland society is perfectly acquitted to change as the world around them changes and new problems emerge. From their perspective, laws are meant to serve their present culture, accustomed to their existing conflicts.Secondly, Herland is based off of the concept of a greater good, in which its inhabitants and citizens sacrifice their pleasures for the larger community. The entire community works as a unified force to conquer common problems that conflict with productivity. For example, Herland as a whole works together to control populations through birth control: "at first each woman bore five children; and that, in their eager, desire to build up a nation, they had gone on in that way for a few centuries, till they were confronted with the absolute need of a limit. This fact was equally plain to all--all were equally interested' (60). The women surprisingly sacrifice the beauty of multiple children and restrict themselves to only one. This same ideology of equality and sharing is further illustrated when Somel justifies their decision: "we each have a million children to love and serve--our children" (60). Their use of teamwork and universal cooperation lie within the core ideologies of improvement, and, in turn, share connections with rationality.

Herland: A Blend of Literary Culture

Over the course of many centuries, the literature of American history has laid in constant debate with one another. Two movements that straddled the 20th century were realism and modernism.Realists depicted life as it was through a "realistic" perspective. They perceived life with the utmost accuracy, paying heavy attention towards the dull truth behind society. This movement redefined pessimism and illustrated it through through the form of literature, where stories actually reflect plausible, tenable events in plausible, tenable situations. As history approaches the 1920s, many of these ideologies become outdated and lose their popularity. Modernism, realism's successor, made its first appearance during this time. Modernist thought, in heavy contrast with realism, agrees with the idea of human power and its ability to reshape the world around it, establishing both an underlying theme of progression and optimism within its pieces. It was at this time (1920s) that people truly questioned the role of women in culture and began crediting them for their value. Feminism was at its climax, and the centennial battle for equality soon came to a promising end for women spanning the nation. Only years later, the ratification of the 19th amendment marked a milestone for gender equality in American history.

Charlotte Gilman incorporates both of these styles and their accompanying ideologies into a sting story, and, in turn, engendering not only a book, but instead a blend of literary culture. Gilman's "Herland" was published in 1915, during a times of great social and literary movements.This ideal timing was a key factor in the development and production of her story, a catalyst for its foundation of feminism. Realism, as it pertained to the time period, is evident through Gilman's portrayal of the male characters, or merely a representation of the gender. Through their voice, she visualizes the relationship between men and women, where women were often restricted by the burden of stereotypes. Terry, the one who funded the expedition, jokes with his friends and hints towards his own superiority: "'You'll see, he insisted. 'I'll get solid with them all-- and play one bunch against the other. I'll get myself elected king in no time--whew! Solomon will have to take a back seat!'" (7). The narrator even associates civilization with manhood: "'But they look--why, this is a civilized country!' I protested. 'There must be men'" (10).With these comments, Gilman firmly establishes the misconception of female inferiority. Modernism, just to reiterate, focused towards progression and the ability to ameliorate society as a whole. This idea of self-criticism and perfection is reflected by "Herland," a supposedly utopian society where its citizens are in uniform excellence. Gilman writes: "Everything was beauty, order, perfect cleanness, and the pleasantest sense of home over it all" (16). She continues to flaunt female superiority: "These were merely athletic--light and powerful. College professors, teachers, writers--many women showed similar intelligence but often wore a strained nervous look, while these were as calm as cows, for all their evident intellect" (19). Her characters, as characterized by Gilman, are portrayed as equivalents in the face of their male counterparts. Charlotte Gilman's "Herland" seemingly defies stereotypes and promotes a sense of female superiority.