Inspired by the Classics: Lovely Lady Leaders in British Literature

My daughter was recently given an Inquiry Task for school on leaders. She had to identify a leader, examine their life, and then evaluate what made them a good leader.   This and recent articles I have seen on Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee year celebrations got me thinking. Who are some of our favourite lady leaders in classic British Literature? What makes a good leader? How were women leaders in a time when they weren't necessarily expected to be? As we approach International Women's Day (March 8), why not share your own favourite fictional lady leader - British or otherwise? I have chosen my top five, and here they are in no particular order.

1. Miss Marple 

How could I not begin with this wonderful creation of Agatha Christie's? She is quintessentially English, with her Victorian lace, twinkling China-blue eyes, classic manners and keen, British wit. Yet despite her deceptive appearance, even Sir Henry Clithering ex-Commisioner of Scotland Yard had "come to think very highly of the mental powers of this frail old-fashioned maiden lady" (The Four Suspects, 1932). Her young nephew Raymond West also turns to his aunt for help when solving problems, not just of the criminal variety. Jane Marple's astute and unparalleled insight into human nature is the foundation for Christie's stories and is at the heart of Marple's leadership. As Miss Marple herself claims, "There is nothing you can tell me about people's minds that would astonish or surprise me." What makes Miss Marple so extraordinary as a leader, was not only her physical appearance, but the fact that so often Christie depicts older woman as "fluffy pussies," old cats who like to know-all and butt in with their curiosity. Jane Marple is a wonderful champion for the elderly! She has honed a lifetime of curiosity into razor-sharp observations and astute powers of perception. Her leadership lies in this mental acuity and her ability to apply it to a wide range of circumstances. Given Christie's undisputed reign as "The Queen of Crime", perhaps we could also add her to this list! How many stories, authors, illustrators and film-makers has she inspired with her wonderful creations?

2. Sara - A Little Princess

Frances Hodgson Burnett is most well known for her classic, The Secret Garden, but it is her heroine Sara in A Little Princess that I consider the real leader. Sara goes through quite a change in financial circumstances throughout the book, which affects her social standing in the group, but her natural qualities as a leader do not waver one bit. These qualities do not include mental acuity and powers of observation, like they did for Miss Marple (although Sara is, without a doubt, highly intelligent and keenly observant). For Sara, her leadership comes from her imagination and her kindness. 

    'Perhaps,' she said, 'to be able to learn things quickly isn't everything. To be kind is worth a great deal to other people. If Miss Minchin knew everything on earth and was like what she is now, she'd still be a detestable thing, and everybody would hate her. Lots of clever people have done harm and have been wicked.'

It is Sara's imaginative stories that draw the other girls to her, and it is her unwavering kindness that keeps them by her side - even when she is made a social outcast within the school. 

3. Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is not necessarily a leader within the book, yet she displays so many great qualities of a leader that I am certain she has influenced others. Jane is quietly independent, a firm believer in her values, and unwavering in her profound belief of what she thinks is right. She does not change who she is to fit the opinions or expectations of others, which was wildly outside the role of women in the Victorian era. It is all of these qualities that cause both Mr Rochester and Mr St John to propose to Jane and yet it is because of said qualities that she knows that she cannot marry either one of them. Jane is a wonderful, literary example of leading with one's head and heart. She does not give over to either one, but uses both to guide her decisions and reinforce her beliefs. 

4. Emma

Of course Jane Austen's Emma had to make this list! I thought of all the Austen women that I know (which is limited as I haven't yet finished reading all of her classics), and decided that Emma held the most leadership qualities of all of them. She is young, independent (as in financially stable thanks to her father's position), and of the firm belief that she does not want to get married. Another woman who stands outside of the norms of the day. She is, however, very keen to help others fall in love. This tendency of Emma's is what makes her a true leader in my mind. Anyone who acts with the best interests of others at heart cannot be anything but a leader. However, Emma tends to be a bit stubborn in her ways and takes the whole novel to come to the conclusion that, although she is acting from a place of love and generosity, others are perfectly capable to rule their own lives. Funnily enough this realisation comes at the time that she realises that she is, in fact, in love and does want to get married. A true leader knows when to back off and let others spread their wings of independence, and we see this with Emma and her friend Harriet Smith. 

5. Beatrix Potter

I wanted to include Miss Potter in this list, although strictly speaking she's not fictional, because her leadership in the area of conservation and preservation are worth mentioning. Her devotion to nature and natural science were inspiring to many young girls and women, and continue to inspire today. In addition to that, the sweet characters that she created such as Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle Duck and Benjamin Bunny have endured for over a hundred years and continue to delight new generations of children. She had these books published independently, after being turned out by several publishers. She believed in the value her work had to offer, and thank goodness she did! This entrepreneurial spirit crossed over into her work life; after buying her farm Hill Top in the Lake's District of England, she learnt how to farm, conserved and preserved not only her land but the wilderness around her, and became an expert sheep farmer. All of this from a single woman at the turn of last century. If her determined focus, love for science and belief in herself does not make her a great leader, then I don't know what does!

These lovely ladies offer a whole variety of ways that they have lead others: mental acuity, kindness, imagination, strength of conviction and self-belief. They all know who they are don't ever try to be someone that they are not. Their values and their experiences make them great leaders, though they are never so rigid in their mindset that they won't listen to other's opinions. Some of these women were almost rebel-like in their behaviour - is that why we favour them? I think not. I think we admire them because they are strong in their convictions, whatever they may be, are generous, warm-hearted and open to helping others. They live by their passions yet also value their mental acuity and reasoning as well. Couldn't we use more role models in the world like this now?

Who else would you add to this list? Have a wonderful day, friends!