I hear this term a lot nowadays. Many literary agents include "strong female characters" on their manuscript wish lists, book clubs and review sites often dissect these protagonists, and increasingly, many book jackets imply that these characters can be found within their pages.
But what is a strong female character, and how do you identify one? Is she a woman warrior who wears knee-high boots and skin-tight leather (or a chainmail bikini)? Is she a no-nonsense corporate powerhouse who enjoys Scotch and cigars in perfectly tailored pantsuits? Is she an "independent" woman who happens to be independent of friendships and close familial relationships, especially with other women?
Is she defined as strong precisely because she's portrayed as unfeminine?*
A post on Clarkesworld by writer Ekaterina Sedia points out that many strong female characters are marked by their membership as one of the boys and their lack of association with (and sometimes disdain for) other women. They are remarkable specifically because they are exceptions to what is portrayed as "typical" womanhood.
That's not to say that a strong female character can't be one of the guys, just that there can and should be other models, too, and models that don't purport to put strength at odds with femininity.
I particularly like Michonne from The Walking Dead (the show... I haven't read the comics). Yes, she's badass and taciturn in a way that's trite elsewhere, but she rises above the cliche. For one thing, her smoldering reticence isn't a signifier of deep-seated insecurity, and it doesn't appear to be the kind of emotional trauma that she'll need a lovin' man to fix. It's a legitimate defense mechanism in a world where trusting people is a risk. And yet, she does (or did) have a close, nurturing friendship, and with another woman, no less. Also, I'd put Ripley in this category.
On the other hand, you've got Jane Eyre, and while some might object that she's still subject to many of the conventions and expectations of her day, I love that she has the moral strength to make difficult decisions for herself. Many other period (and modern) heroines melt down over much less.
What are other examples of strong female characters? Who are some of your favorites?
*Even defining something as specifically "feminine" or "unfeminine" is problematic because it comes bundled with a slew of assumptions about what men and women "naturally" enjoy. But since people tend to label certain pursuits, fairly or unfairly, as masculine or feminine, I think it's important to recognize how we categorize and value those things as well as the people we associate with them.
But what is a strong female character, and how do you identify one? Is she a woman warrior who wears knee-high boots and skin-tight leather (or a chainmail bikini)? Is she a no-nonsense corporate powerhouse who enjoys Scotch and cigars in perfectly tailored pantsuits? Is she an "independent" woman who happens to be independent of friendships and close familial relationships, especially with other women?
Is she defined as strong precisely because she's portrayed as unfeminine?*
A post on Clarkesworld by writer Ekaterina Sedia points out that many strong female characters are marked by their membership as one of the boys and their lack of association with (and sometimes disdain for) other women. They are remarkable specifically because they are exceptions to what is portrayed as "typical" womanhood.
That's not to say that a strong female character can't be one of the guys, just that there can and should be other models, too, and models that don't purport to put strength at odds with femininity.
I particularly like Michonne from The Walking Dead (the show... I haven't read the comics). Yes, she's badass and taciturn in a way that's trite elsewhere, but she rises above the cliche. For one thing, her smoldering reticence isn't a signifier of deep-seated insecurity, and it doesn't appear to be the kind of emotional trauma that she'll need a lovin' man to fix. It's a legitimate defense mechanism in a world where trusting people is a risk. And yet, she does (or did) have a close, nurturing friendship, and with another woman, no less. Also, I'd put Ripley in this category.
On the other hand, you've got Jane Eyre, and while some might object that she's still subject to many of the conventions and expectations of her day, I love that she has the moral strength to make difficult decisions for herself. Many other period (and modern) heroines melt down over much less.
What are other examples of strong female characters? Who are some of your favorites?
*Even defining something as specifically "feminine" or "unfeminine" is problematic because it comes bundled with a slew of assumptions about what men and women "naturally" enjoy. But since people tend to label certain pursuits, fairly or unfairly, as masculine or feminine, I think it's important to recognize how we categorize and value those things as well as the people we associate with them.
