Coming (the Forerunner)
COMING (THE FORERUNNER) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: A young woman, isolated and alone, is subjected to a series of experiments designed to break her spirit and remake her in the image of her husband. The story is a powerful critique of patriarchal society and the ways in which women were (and continue to be) marginalized and oppressed.
By Charlotte Perkins Gilman · First published 1899 · Genre: Science Fiction, Utopian and Dystopian, Feminist Literature · 172 words
First lines
Because the time is ripe, the age is ready, / Because the world her woman's help demands, / Out of the long subjection and seclusion / Come to our field of warfare and confusion / The mother's heart and hands.
Long has she stood aside, endured and waited, / While man swung forward, toiling on alone; / Now, for the weary man, so long ill-mated, / Now, for the world for which she was created, / Comes woman to her own.
Not for herself! though sweet the air of freedom; / Not for herself, though dear the new-born power; / But for the child, who needs a nobler mother, / For the whole people, needing one another, / Comes woman to her hour.
What this Textopian page supports
Coming (the Forerunner) is listed on Textopian as a poem by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, dated 1899 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Utopian and Dystopian, Feminist Literature, Social Commentary
- Length: 172 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Coming (the Forerunner) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
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Genres
- Science Fiction — Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 'Coming (The Forerunner)' follows a plot revolving around a futurist society, which is a common theme in the science fiction genre.
- Utopian and Dystopian — 'Coming (The Forerunner)' projects a future that is both perfect (utopian) and flawed (dystopian) simultaneously, conforming to the genre's standards.
- Feminist Literature — Perkins Gilman was a known feminist, and the principles of equality and female empowerment are integral to 'Coming (The Forerunner)', making it a part of the feminist literature genre.
- Social Commentary — Throughout 'Coming (The Forerunner)', social issues and societal norms are critically examined, which is a characteristic of social commentary genre.
Tags
feminism · utopia · dystopia · gender roles · society · equality · social commentary · women's rights · progressive · speculative fiction · reform · empowerment