8 Badass Women in Literature
- Max
- Mar 7
- 3 min read
Gone are the days of the damsel in distress waiting to be saved by a hero. The female protagonist of today is smart, strong, and in control of her own story. While women's representation in media still has a long way to go, conversations about gender have opened the doors for women writers and complex female protagonists. We're celebrating this women's month with a list of some of the most badass women in literature.
Nancy Drew
One need not look further than the classics to find one of the most badass female characters in the history of literature. Nancy Drew was a teenager constantly risking her life to find clues and catch culprits. With an uncanny knack for observation and piecing clues together, Nancy Drew is one strong woman whom little girls can aspire to become.
Jo March
Josephine, or Jo, is one of the Little Women from Louisa May Alcott’s novel. Jo has a reputation for being brash, abrasive, and loud. This doesn’t mean that she doesn’t hold her family together, especially during hard times. Moreover, Jo was a woman well-ahead of her time, defying society's expectations of women.
Arya Stark
Arya is only one of many tough-as-nails characters in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. The strong-willed Arya starts out as your typical “tomboy,” preferring to ride horses and fight with swords rather than sew. She is forced to flee her home, experiences several near-death experiences, and embarks on a quest to avenge her family.
Hermione Granger
Sure, the series may have been named Harry Potter, but Harry wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without the help of Hermione. This list wouldn't be complete without one of the most famous female leads in recent literary history. Throughout the series, Hermione demonstrated immeasurable intelligence, fierce loyalty, and immense compassion not only toward Harry, but for the causes she believes in as well.
Katniss Everdeen
Katniss Everdeen is the main character of Suzanne Collins’s dystopian sci-fi trilogy The Hunger Games, and is yet another notable female protagonist in recent literary history. When her sister is enlisted in a fight to the death, Everdeen takes her place and proves that there’s more to her than a media-worthy sob story. Eventually, Everdeen sparks a revolution against the twisted government that rules her country, becomes its symbol, and leads it to victory.
Elizabeth Bennett
Jane Austen is one of history’s most famous women writers, and Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice is one of her most popular characters. Elizabeth, or Lizzie, comes from a family of five daughters. Despite being pressured by her mother to find a husband, Lizzie remained steadfast in her commitment to live by her ideals.
Elphaba Thropp
One of the two leads in Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba is a witch who is best known for her green complexion. Despite being shut down by everyone she meets because of how different she looks, Elphaba rises above the rest and proves that there are far more important things than looks: courage, compassion, and intelligence.
Amy Dunne
Amy Dunne from Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl puts a shocking twist to the trope of "fridged" wives. Dunne manipulates multiple people, her husband and ex-lovers included, to get what she wants: revenge. Dunne proves that there’s more to female villains than sitting in fancy chairs and letting other people do the dirty work.
Beyond these badasses, there are plenty of strong, savvy, and complex women in literature. Part of being a great writer is being able to craft multi-dimensional characters who feel like real people, whether they're weak or strong, good or bad. Who are your favorite badass women characters?
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