We Women and Our Authors

"We Women and Our Authors" by Laura Marholm is an exploration of how late 19th-century literature shaped women's perceptions of themselves and their roles in society. The book examines the rising sense of independence and self-awareness among women, largely influenced by portrayals in literature crafted by male authors of the period. Marholm highlights the effect of these portrayals on women’s developing consciousness, as they began striving for autonomy and individuality, spurred by writers like Gottfried Keller and Paul Heyse and others. This analysis sets the stage for a broader critique of literature's role in the gender dynamics of the time, revealing how it both reflected and shaped women's evolving identities.