When it comes to period dramas and world history, women have been painted in an extremely negative light in a lot of instances. Be it Helen of Troy escaping her abusers, Emily Bronte for writing her ground-shaking book, or Mary Shelly for being doubted to have taken Percy Bysshe Shelley’s help while writing her world-famous Gothic novel “Frankenstein”, all of these women were misunderstood and criticized for simply living.
Feminism is a long debate and how women were wrongly portrayed in history is a separate topic. However, if you are a feminist and take interest in the history of feminism, we have numerous period drama movies for you to watch.
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Coming back to the point, here are some of the best period drama movies that you should watch as a feminist:
Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth is a period drama movie based on Nikolai Leskov’s Russian novella “Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District”. We understand that the misleading name might be directing you to Shakespeare’s Macbeth but this take of Lady Macbeth is a completely different story and definitely one worth watching.
The story is set in 19th-century rural England. The lead Katherine is sold into a loveless marriage with a rich industrialist. Starved of companionship, she starts a fiery relationship with a young worker of the estate. She begins an endless conflict with her family, which eventually creates turmoil.
The movie discusses the themes of sexism, loneliness, rebelliousness, and much more. It is definitely a heavy and dark movie to watch, but as a feminist and a bibliophile, it will pierce your heart.
Emily
Emily is a drama movie that discusses the life of Emily Bronte. The story is mostly fictionalized but it discusses most of her life issues such as her relationship with her mother, her mother’s affair, and her brother’s opium addiction. The movie also reflects on her sexuality, rebelliousness, misfit personality, and the way she hides it behind her decent Victorian guise.
The movie has a lot of depth when it comes to topics such as feminism, substance abuse, family, and one’s sexuality. Besides, we all being bibliophiles want to know what went on in Bronte’s head while she wrote Wuthering Heights. To this day, Bronte’s life and its connection with her world-famous novel have been a critical topic for psychoanalysts.
So, if you want to learn more about Emily Bronte’s mysterious life, her mental condition, and the inspiration behind her only novel, you should watch Emily.
The Young Victoria
The Young Victoria is a British period drama directed by Jean-Marc Vallée. The story is based on the early teenage life and reign of Queen Victoria. Played by Emily Blunt, Victoria is the only heir of King William of England. After her entitlement to the throne, young Victoria faces many political conspiracies played by her own family. Her mother plans her signing of the Regency order and at the same her Belgian uncle schemes an arranged marriage.
The monarch of the future Victoria and Prince Albert get knotted in a marriage where they gradually fall in love. The following years for Victoria are filled with romance but also political difficulties, conspiracies, and responsibility.
If you have an interest in feminism as well as politics, the movie will open your mind to the political aspects of being a female monarch and a wife.
Little Women
Little Women is a period drama movie based on Louisa May Alcott’s famous 1868 novel of the same name. The story of the movie discusses the March sisters gradually entering womanhood and navigating their own identities. Together the four go through ups and downs, but what brings them together is the tragic illness of their youngest sister.
The story is super heartwarming and discusses how it is okay to want different things in life. From the eldest Meg marrying for love and Joe living in New York and never wanting to get married because of how much her career matters to her, to Amy pursuing art in Europe, all sisters follow their hearts by keeping societal standards aside.
If you want to watch something that displays the domestic side of women’s empowerment, Little Women is the best movie to watch. It will melt your heart.
In Conclusion
Well, these are the four movies that any feminist would love to watch. From the heavy and dark storyline of Lady Macbeth to the exploration of her sexuality in Emily, balancing politics and life in Victoria, to the lighthearted lives of the March sisters in Little Women, all these movies are special and empowering. Watch these movies now and enjoy the lives of these empowered women.
