Herland As A Feminist Work

womens liberation movement is the advocating for social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men (Random House College Dictionary). This story depicts just that. It is about a night club made entirely of women with no need for men. We see the perspective of men through the eyes of our narrator. He gives us the point of view from three different men about women. Herland takes the traditional stereotypes about women and reverses them entirely. Everything that was erstwhile regarded by feminine and masculine standards was taken away.The women had short hair and athletic bodies. Their clothing was not exciting but built for comfort and convenience. They were not coy and flirtatious. They did not need men. Their daily living and full-length lives did not depend on a man in any way shape or form. They were builders, farmers, scholars, and some importantly mothers. They lived together, harmoniously. The women of the land do not understand the gender biases of the world because they simply do not make sense. There was no accepted standard of what was manlike and what was muliebrityly.Jeff said, a woman should not carry anything, Celis asked Why? with the frankest amazement(93). And why shouldnt a woman carry anything. To her it was the funniest idea. If no(prenominal) of them carried anything, nothing would get done The men who invade Herland ar filled with typical boyish fantasies of fruity maidens in waiting. Their ideals about this place are comical. They expect to find a collection of wild women that are waiting to be tamed by men. They imagine a world of pure, untainted women.They cannot imagine a civilized world without the presence of men. They would fight amongst themselves, Women always do. We mustnt look for any sort of lay and organization (10). This statement was made by terry cloth, as we come to know him. He is the some manly of the three men. His ideals are the most Victorian and chauvinistic. Jeffs ideas about the wo men they would come to find were different than Terrys. He believed that women should be sheltered and protected without a care in the world. Jeff idealized women in the most Southern style.He was full of chivalry and sentiment, and all that. And he was a good boy he lived up to his ideals (11). Vans ideals about their venture were the most practical in nature. He looked all over every detail and tried to make the most sensible explanations. I believe he was the vocalism of reason. We could also compare the three to Freuds Id (Terry), Ego (Jeff), and Superego (Van). But that is another paper. Perhaps one of the most forthcoming feminist aspects is the fact that the women of Herland reproduce without the assistance of men.This feature of the novel helps to create a genuinely self -supporting society of women that our narrators cannot seem to grasp. This makes these women superhuman in a sense. The male race is unnecessary to their existence. I believe that this story was told with the purpose of making the gender roles of most of the world look like childrens games. It is clear that this story was intended to show that women were and are self-supporting human beings and not objects to be have and kept.