Literary notes about female (AI summary)
The term "female" in literature is employed in a multitude of ways, ranging from a straightforward marker of biological sex to a symbol loaded with cultural, social, and even mystical significance. In some works it simply functions as a demographic descriptor, as seen when members of a council are counted by gender [1] or when lineage is noted to proceed along the female line [2]. In other texts, "female" is imbued with broader emblematic meaning—for example, representing a deliberate dualism with the male in religious or philosophical traditions [3, 4, 5, 6] or serving as a stand-in for inherent qualities such as delicacy or weakness [7, 8, 9]. Additionally, the adjective is employed in both technical and humorous contexts, such as in botanical studies [10] or in light-hearted narrative remarks about character [11, 12]. This array of usages illustrates how the word "female" is not merely a term for biological classification but also a versatile literary device reflecting the complexities of gender roles and symbolism in literature.
- There were five members of the Council, three of the male gender and two of the female.
— from Anthem by Ayn Rand - I inherit it by the female line.
— from The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Ward Radcliffe - "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him: male and female created he them."
— from The symbolism of Freemasonry : by Albert Gallatin Mackey - In these last instances the corn-spirit is personified in double form as male and female.
— from The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion by James George Frazer - Next come the male emblem, the cone, and the female symbol, the lozenge or yoni.
— from Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism by Thomas Inman and M.R.C.S.E. John Newton - In some of their ancient prayers, they speak of the Sun as male, and consider, of course, the Moon as female.
— from Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney - Credit me, the greatest safeguard to female chastity is sobriety of demeanour.
— from Essays of Michel de Montaigne — Complete by Michel de Montaigne - Everybody allows that the talent of writing agreeable letters is peculiarly female.
— from Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - The instinctive cry of the female in anger is noli me tangere.
— from What's Wrong with the World by G. K. Chesterton - The results showed that five days after the commencement of anthesis a high proportion of the female flowers is receptive.
— from Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 44th Annual Meeting - "But she isn't a female newt."
— from Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse - “The Beethoven’s fine,” said Margaret, who was not a female of the encouraging type.
— from Howards End by E. M. Forster
