The Day of the Women
The Day of the Women is a 1969 novel by Pamela Kettle. It critically features a power takeover by women. Not exactly a "feminist" novel.
Notes (and spoilers)
A feminist movement takes over England, and other women's movements take over other parts of the world.
The men are said to be demoralized. The protagonist, Eve, frequently voices doubts as to whether women should really rule. Sometimes this sounds like moderation; let's not kill baby boys and downgrade men's status. Other times it sounds like pure sexism:
- "I'm sure that the whole concept of equality between the sexes is wrong. It is a man's purpose in life to master his environment. Woman's function is to people it. The biological roles are utterly dissimilar. Don't you see? Man is required to be strong and sure of himself - woman to be gentle and pliant in the wake of his progress."
The female leader of the feminist movement, Diana Druce, hates men and is portrayed as a ball-buster; very strong & capable, and attractive, but also prone to megalomania, insanity, and superstition. And, ultimately, fascism.
Ties between women are also fraught with suspicion and distrust.
And in this new woman-first society, where homosocial lifestyles become the norm, lesbianism is only hinted at as a perverse sickness that causes unhealthy obsession by one of the leaders for Diana. Apparently it is an unhealthy behavior pattern to be discouraged amongst the younger set.
The women are all shown to be remarkably capable, and there are virtually no male charactesr.
Mother-daughter relationships never seem particular good in this book, and in fact one mother is betrayed by her daughter -- so Kettle's dedication of the book to her daughter is interesting:
- "For my daughter, Danae -- one of tomorrow's women."
Reviews & commentary
Editions
- 1969
- ? : Leslie Frewin, Great Britain
- 1970: New English Library, London (176 pp.)