Feminist Themes in Harlem Renaissance Literature: How Women Writers Like Nella Larsen and Dorothy West Addressed Gender Inequality

Feminist Themes in Harlem Renaissance Literature: How Women Writers Like Nella Larsen and Dorothy West Addressed Gender Inequality

The Harlem Renaissance wasn’t just about racial pride and cultural flourishing—it was also a significant period for feminist literature, as women writers began to openly explore gender inequality and challenge traditional roles for women. In Women of the Harlem Renaissance, Marissa Constantinou explores how writers like Nella Larsen and Dorothy West used their works to address gender inequality.

In Passing, Nella Larsen critiques the pressures placed on African American women in a racially divided society, particularly through the lens of gender and sexual identity. Dorothy West’s short stories, such as those collected in The Living is Easy, also explore the complexities of women’s roles in society and the intersection of gender, class, and race.

These authors used their writing to push against the boundaries of what was expected of women, focusing on themes of personal freedom, gender roles, and self-identity. Their works provided a voice for African American women’s experiences and laid the foundation for later feminist movements in the 20th century