strong literary heroines

[vinkusvixen]

Ok so I am trying to write an article on how to translate the qualities of classic literary heroines into the modern age, and have come to somewhat of a impasse as I have to think and ponder which strong literary heroines I should choose--1) that aren't too obscure (that most people would have heard of) and 2) that aren't entirely British or

Comments

[themaidmarian]

I think you're going to be restricted a bit as far as race or cultural background is concerned for the classic literary heroine, simply because of what we regard as classic and canon being traditionally English or American and white. Even in my ethnic literature courses there isn't a lot of non-contemporary lit to be had. I wonder if you could look at folk tales, perhaps, from Japan or Africa or...? Is that straying too much from what you want to do?

[vinkusvixen]

I think you are right...since most of literature in the non-western tradition isn't as well known considering an American audience... I was thinking of greek heroines--Dido perhaps, or Russian heroines like Lara from Dr. Zhivago, but even they are Eurocentric. I guess it will just have to be a Eurocentric list since most of the non-white literary heroines I can think of come from more recent works, Janie--Their Eyes were Watching God or Ashima from The Namesake. But aside from those considerations what are your favorite literary heroines?