Research Article

The 1949 Version of Little Women wears more Feminism Features than the 2019 One

Zixin QiaoHENAN University, NO.85 Street, Shun He Hui Zu Town, KaiFeng city, HeNan province, China*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

This paper will begin with a discussion of the historical context of the two film adaptations of Little Women and the novel of the same name, as well as their distinct intersections with various phases of feminism's development. Specifically, the Civil War and the suffrage movement supported as the history background for the novel penned by Louisa May. Then, the production history of Mervyn LeRoy's 1949 picture Little Women, which was produced in America soon after the end of World War II and the beginning of the first wave of feminism, will be discussed. Further, the background of the 2019 edition is the condition of the United States in the twenty-first century and the third wave of feminism with the Me Too Movement. Then, analyze at least five scenes from each film in terms of lens language, characters (particularly the two leading characters Amy and Jo in both films), etc to illustrate the thesis of this paper: the 1949 version of Little Women is more feminist than the 2019 adaptation. It is vital to emphasize that the defining characteristic of feminism is a woman's unwavering commitment to her own beliefs and decisions.

Keywords: feminism; little women; feminism waves; films
Published: May 17, 2023
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/3/2022959
Volume: CHR Vol.3
pp. 1148-1161
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