Today it’s the World Book Day! To celebrate, we’re taking a look at 5 great female characters in literature who are inspiring, strong and are part of some of the best stories ever penned by famous and successful writers. If you haven’t read some of these books, then definitely make sure you check them out soon!
Great female character in a book #5: Alice
One of the most famous characters in literature is definitely Alice, from Lewis Carroll’s stories: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking Glass. In both books, Alice is portrayed as a very curious and unusual child with a great imagination and a tendency to ask a lot of questions, often baffling the characters around her.
Through both books, Carroll criticized the normative of the very strict Victorian society, watching it from the innocent perspective of his main character, whom is a feisty and incredibly smart young girl. Therefore, it’s no wonder Alice has survived the test of time, becoming one of the most beloved literary characters in history.
Great female character in a book #4: Elizabeth Bennet
Elizabeth Bennet is the main character from the classic Pride and Prejudice, penned by beloved author, Jane Austen. This wonderful heroine is the oldest of five sisters, and the smartest and most rational of all the women of her family, which is why she embarks in a hilarious adventure of emotions as her favorite sister falls in love with a man above her socioeconomic status while she is also pursued by a wealthy yet aloof man, Mr. Darcy.
Like some of the other characters created by Austen, Elizabeth is stubborn, intelligent, critical and strong. However, she remains the most popular amongst readers for her feisty nature, her warm heart, and her rectitude.
Great female character in a book #3: Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre is the main character of the homonymous book written by English author Charlotte Brontë. Her story is full of hardships and suffering, for Jane is unfairly mistreated and abused during her childhood by her family and mentors. However, Jane’s indomitable spirit, her intelligence and her immeasurable strength help her overcome her adversities and become a strong woman.
Jane Eyre is one of the most popular female characters amongst readers, due to her strong sense of morality and her good heart.
Great female character in a book #2: Lyra Belacqua
One of the most recent great female characters created, Lyra Belacqua, is the main protagonist of author Philip Pullman’s series of books: His Dark Materials. Lyra appears first in The Golden Compass, and immediately captures the reader’s heart with her rebelliousness and kind disposition. Like Alice, Lyra is a curious, imaginative and smart little girl who grows up into a strong young woman as the story progresses.
A faithful friend, strong fighter and caring person, Lyra is one of the most wonderful literary characters from the last century.
Great female character in a book #1: Éowyn
One of the few female characters who appears in J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendary saga, The Lord of the Rings, Éowyn is a fan favorite due to her strength and the story her unrequited love. Éowyn appears in the second book of the series, The Two Towers, in which she is introduced as the niece of King Théoden. Against his wishes, she disguised herself as a man called Dernhelm and joined the war against the enemies of Gondor. With the help of the hobbit Merry she even defeated the Witch-King of Angmar.
Unlike characters such as Goldberry or Arwen, Éowyn takes an active part on the battleground and is not afraid to put her life at risk to defend her beliefs and the people she’s meant to protect, making her one of the bravest female characters of our list.
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