We all need role models to inspire us.
Even if those role models come from fiction. Stories may not be “real” in the sense that they describe actual events, but the purpose of story is to teach us—vicariously—about life and how to live it successfully. Which means that we can learn from and be inspired by fictional characters just as we can from actual, living people.
So, here I offer you five female heroines from various periods of history who are not afraid to be their own person and pursue their own dreams. I hope you find them as enjoyable and instructive as I do.
First Century Rome
Flavia Albia is an underdog and a misfit. Born in Britannia, orphaned and abused as a young child, she was taken in by wealthy Romans. Her foster parents bring her to Rome and give her an education, but Albia will never really be welcome in Roman society. Instead of settling for a “suitable” marriage, Albia moves out on her own and takes up her father’s occupation as an ‘informer,’ the ancient Roman equivalent of a private detective.
What I admire: Albia does not allow her past to define or limit her future. It isn’t easy for a foreign-born single female to earn respect, or even cooperation, in her male-dominated world, but Albia has the guts and persistence to try anyway. With the street smarts of her father and the independent, take-charge-of-your-own-destiny outlook of her mother, Albia succeeds where few women would. Add author Lindsey Davis’s wicked sense of humor and this series makes for an entertaining read.
15th Century England
Dame Frevisse is a nun in the small monastery of Saint Frideswide in rural northern Oxfordshire. She loves the solitude and predictability of her chosen life, yet she is also a natural problem-solver and a keen observer of people. When crime shatters the peace of her tranquil world, her curiosity and quick wits lead her to get involved and see that justice is done.
What I admire: She exemplifies an intelligent woman who is content to live within the limits of her society while still utilizing her intellect and abilities in satisfying ways. She accepts her role as woman and nun and finds ways to exert her unique talents without battling the social mores head-on. I also admire her honesty regarding her spiritual struggles as she strives to be an obedient and devoted nun.
Author Margaret Frazer does an admirable job of bringing the medieval monastery to life and filling it with believable yet intriguing characters.
Turn of the century Egypt (mostly)
Amelia Peabody Emerson is a larger-than-life adventurer with a passion for Egyptology. She and her husband (and their growing family) reside in England but spend their winters in Egypt conducting archaeological excavations (and solving murders and other unexplained events).
What I admire: She is happily eccentric and doesn’t try to hide it. For example, she knows very well that others make fun of her jangling tool belt, but she ignores the naysayers and wears it proudly. She shows a concern for the welfare of foreigners and women. Her outlook is ahead of her time, but she is aware of that fact. She is intentional about promoting her ideas of social reform. Better yet, she models them in her own interaction with the local Egyptian populace. As a result she is respected for her integrity.
Author Elizabeth Peters is also and Egyptologist and she brings this dusty land and it’s ancient treasures to vivid life.
Early 20th Century – England and elsewhere
Mary Russell is a keenly intelligent and independent Oxford scholar who makes the acquaintance of an eccentric older gentleman named Sherlock Holmes. She becomes his partner in solving crimes (an occupation he has not given up despite rumors that he has retired).
What I admire: She holds fast to her religious beliefs despite Holmes’s relentless opposition. She prefers the peaceful and introverted life of a scholar, pottering around the Bodleian Library, but she is willing to set her comfort and preferences aside when her talents are needed to fight crime. She lives out her values (such as justice) even when they are inconvenient. She is an avid feminist during the time women gained the vote in Britain, which both drives her to succeed and occasionally gets her into trouble when she resists asking for or accepting male help.
Author Laurie King intentionally chose this period because the Victorian society of the original Holmes novels had shifted to a more modern outlook–a time where the older Mr. Holmes and the young Miss Russel could believably work together.
Post WW2 England
Flavia deLuce is a precocious eleven-year-old who lives in a rambling family mansion on the edge of a small country village. Her father is preoccupied with his stamps and financial woes, leaving Flavia to her own devices. The house includes a long-forgotten chemistry laboratory that becomes Flavia’s joy and private haven.
What I admire: This series proves that you are never too young or too unimportant to make a difference. She can’t drive a car, she has no authority, and adult conversation sometimes flies over her head, but her childlike way of thinking and her uninhibited curiosity often enable her to discover what the adults missed. Also, Flavia is very much her own person. She holds stubbornly to her unique personality, even when it gets her kicked out of the local Girl Guides. And she is fiercely loyal to those she loves, even when they drive her crazy.
Author Alan Bradley has created an entertaining series for adults while utilizing a believably youthful main character.
What books have you read lately that provided you with a role model?
