"The Women's Room" by Marilyn French




The Women's Room is the debut novel by American feminist author Marilyn French, published in 1977. It launched French as a major participant in the Feminist Movement and, while French states it is not autobiographical, the book reflects many autobiographical elements. For example, French, like the main character, Mira, was married, divorced, and then attended Harvard where she obtained a Ph.D. in English Literature. Despite the connection of The Women's Room to the Feminist Movement, French stated in a 1977 interview with The New York Times' in 1977: "The Women's Room" is not about the women's movement... but about women's lives today."

The Women's Room has been described as one of the most influential novels of the modern feminist movement. Its instant popularity brought criticism from some well-known feminists that it was too pessimistic about women's lives and too anti-men.

The Women's Room is set in 1950s America and follows the fortunes of Mira Ward, a conventional and submissive young woman in a traditional marriage, and her gradual feminist awakening. The novel met stark media criticism when published but went on to be an international best seller.

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