Science analyzes 150 years of literature: How fiction has reinforced the stereotype of the passive woman

Researcher Oscar Stuhler found that a significant gender agency gap exists in literature, portraying women as passive characters, particularly in works by male authors. This reflects broader societal patterns.

Stuhler's analysis across over 87,000 stories reveals consistent patterns of female characters being depicted as passive. The study highlights that this trend persists in both literature and film.

Gender agency, defined by Stuhler as the degree to which characters act or are acted upon, shows that women predominantly occupy passive roles, especially in male-authored fiction.

The findings suggest that depictions of women in fiction are influenced by social constructs of gender, illustrating the ongoing narrative power that male characters hold in storytelling.

Read at english.elpais.com