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 As history approaches the 1920s, many of these ideologies become outdated and lose their popularity.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.