The Good Englishwoman

"The Good Englishwoman" by Orlo Williams is a reflective exploration of what it meant to be a woman in early 20th century English society. The book opens with a thoughtful conversation between the narrator and his uncle, Joseph revealing skepticism about men’s understanding of women. The narrator then considers the belief that women are a mystery and sees that as a consequence of men being too lazy to actually understand them. The story then transitions from that to the roles women play in society due to historical changes. The story suggests the idea that women have the ability to do everything men can do, and the modern Englishwoman is a mix of traditional values and new independence. This introduction sets the stage for how the book looks at societal expectations for women and how their identities are changing.