Blog Option 5

            Upon reading the seemingly controversial and out of the norm Herland, a novel by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, I have not only began to consider what life would be like without men, I also gained a different perspective on the female role within society. Gilman presents an overlying message of male and female equality throughout the novel. Gilman elaborates on this message by describing that women could not only do all that men can do, but are ultimately their equals in all aspects of life. In Herland, women not only are able to operate in a highly civilized society without the guidance of men, they are even able to produce children without men. Gilman illustrates the equality between men and women within the text by elaborating on the relationships of Van and Ellador, Terry and Alima, and Jeff and Celis. Gilman puts the greatest emphasis on the success of Van and Ellador’s relationship because they portray a couple that functions and thrive not only on friendship but also on respect for one another.

         The themes presented in the novel include the significance of motherhood as well as the potential women have to succeed as an active piece of society. The first theme of motherhood proves ever-present throughout Herland. Instead of conceiving children as an action of having sexual relations with a male or lust, women conceive children because they deem it a vital responsibility and an honor. All women within Herland rear and nurture the children and society consists of only eager, loving and caring mother figures. This love stems from the mothers only being able to have one child each, and Somel explains that “the reason our children are so—so fully loved, by all of us, is that we never—any of us—have enough of our own” which demonstrates that the women only have one child of their own to love and therefore love all the children. The theme of the importance of motherhood impacted my interpretation of the text in the sense that Herland did not serve as a “complaint-novel” about males, but rather emphasized the significance of females in raising children. The second major theme of women being a productive part of society reveals that women should be granted equal opportunities to males. Terry reveals his thoughts and other males thoughts at the time when he states, “We do not allow our women to work. Women are loved—idolized—honored—kept in the home to care for the children” (Gilman 52).  This scene demonstrated that the women in Herland do not even know life without work. In Herland, women were not only mothers but they were also teachers, specialists, studied the forest, and operated within society in the same way a male would. The presence of this major theme allowed the reader to gain a greater understanding that women can do so much more than being confined to the home to raising children. Within the time period this novel was written, this theme was of the utmost importance to express women’s knowledge and potential to be a part of the working class.  

         If I were to rate Herland, I would give it a 4.5. Not only did the novel make me activate my brain and actually think about what I was reading, I feel the message and major themes it present will continue to be relevant in today’s society and society in the future. I would recommend it to a friend because I know it would challenge their traditional thought and pass forward the message that women can and should be working in the same areas in society as men.