Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman First Edition

Abstract

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s feminist novel Herland written in 1892, and giving an utopic vision of an all-female society is still among the most outstanding feminist woman writing in America. It assured its place among the first feminist utopian works in such a strong and safe way that it has never been shaken so far. The permanence and the success of Herland is mostly due to its being a multi-dimensional work. With its all-female culture, it creates an utopian-never existing- world, and also creates an alternative society to the already existing patriarchal one; as a feminist work it criticizes the patriarchal society drawing some certain lines/roles for women depending on the outdated Victorian idea(l) s and view of woman. It also presents a wide range of opportunities for cultural studies such as cultural feminism, and cultural ecology.