Synopses & Reviews
Two works in one, this volume contains the full text of
With Her in Ourland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, as well as an illuminating sociological analysis by Mary Jo Deegan with the assistance of Michael R. Hill.
Ourland is the sequel to Gilman's acclaimed feminist utopian novel
Herland; both were published in her journal,
The Forerunner, in 1915 and 1916.
Ourland resumes the adventures of ^IHerland^R's protagonists, Ellador and Van, but turns from utopian fantasy to a challenging analysis of contemporary social fissures in
his land, or the real world. The republication of
Herland as a separate novel in 1979 revived critical interest in Gilman's work but truncated the larger aims implicit in the ^IHerland/Ourland^R saga, leaving an erroneous understanding of Gilman's other/better half of the story, in which it is suggested that strong women can resocialize men to be nurturant and cooperative. Gilman's choice of a sexually integrated society in
With Her in Ourland provides us with her answer to her ideal society, but her foray into a woman-only society as a corrective to a male dominated one is a controversial option. The challenging message of
Ourland, however, does not impede the pleasure of reading it as a novel.
Though known more for her fiction today, Gilman in her time was a recognized and accomplished sociologist who admired Lester F. Ward and frequently visited Jane Addams of Chicago's Hull-House. The male protagonist in Herland/Ourland, Van, is a sociologist, used by Gilman as a foil on which to skewer the assumptions and practices of patriarchal sociology. The interpretation presented here, which adopts a sociological viewpoint, is invaluable reading for scholars and students of sociology, American women's studies, and utopian literature.
Review
Gilman's sequel to Herland continues to advance her social theories. However, With Her in Ourland (first published in 1916) is a dystopian work; it chronicles the experiences of characters Van and Ellador, following their departure from Herland as they travel the world during the Great War. As she does in much of her fiction, Gilman urges radical social reform as a way to save the world from chaos and destruction.... Deegan provides a cogent argument for reading Herland and With Her in Ourland as two halves of a greater whole.... Reommended for all public and academic collections.Choice
Review
[T]his is a significant book. A sequel to Gilman's feminist classic, Herland (1916), this continues yet radically changes that book's utopian vision....More sociological tract than novel, the book analyzes social, economic, and political problems, discussing overpopulation, gender roles, environmentalism, the care of children, and racism--issues that are surprisingly relevant today. The final pages of the book provide an unexpected twist that completes the reader's understanding of Gilman's overall purpose. Recommended for academic libraries.Library Journal
Synopsis
Reissues an important but overlooked work by a brilliant American feminist.
Synopsis
Reissues an important but overlooked work by a brilliant American feminist.
Synopsis
Two works in one, this volume contains the full text of With Her in Ourland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, as well as an illuminating sociological analysis by Mary Jo Deegan with the assistance of Michael R. Hill. Ourland is the sequel to Gilman's acclaimed feminist utopian novel Herland; both were published in her journal, The Forerunner, in 1915 and 1916. Ourland resumes the adventures of Herland's protagonists, Ellador and Van, but turns from utopian fantasy to a challenging analysis of contemporary social fissures in his land, or the real world. Gilman's choice of a sexually integrated society in With Her in Ourland provides us with her answer to her ideal society, but her foray into a woman-only society as a corrective to a male dominated one is a controversial option.
About the Author
MICHAEL R. HILL is an interdisciplinary social scientist from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Iowa Western Community College.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Gilman's Sociological Journey from Herland to Ourland
With Her in Ourland: Sequel to Herland
The Return
War
A Journey of Inspection
Nearing Home
My Country
The Diagnosis
In Our Homes
More Diagnosis
[Democracy and Economics]
[Race and Religion]
[Feminism and the Woman's Movement]
[Conclusion]