Some people may think of women as accessories to a story. They are the damsels in distress who have to be saved by the heroes. They’re the ones who make the guys look good. However, we beg to differ: women are just as badass as men in literature. Here’s a list to prove it.

1. Nancy Drew: Super Sleuth

One need not look further than the classics to find one of the most badass female characters in literature. Nancy Drew was no more than a teenager, and she constantly put herself in danger to find clues and catch culprits. She wasn’t just superbrave; she was supersmart too! With an uncanny knack for observation and piecing clues together, Nancy Drew is one strong woman whom little girls can aspire to be.




2. Josephine March: The Family Woman

Josephine, or Jo, is one of the Little Women from Louisa May Alcott’s novel. However, she’s anything but that. Jo has a reputation for being brash, abrasive, and loud, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t hold her family together. Moreover, Jo was a woman well ahead of her time: one who defies society’s expectations of women by constantly questioning them.




3. Arya Stark: A Girl Is Not Weak

Arya is only one of many strong characters in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. Strong-willed and strong-headed, Arya starts out as your typical “tomboy,” preferring to ride horses and fight with swords rather than sew. Over time, Arya shows that there’s more to her than just being the odd kid in her family. She is forced to flee her home, experiences several near-death experiences, and eventually manages to avenge her family.




4. Hester Prynne: The One Who Rose Above It All

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s A Scarlet Letter tells the story of a woman who was branded an adulterer and scorned by society. Written in 1850, this novel was both controversial and progressive in its time. Its lead? A woman by the name of Hester Prynne. Throughout the story, Prynne demonstrates how strong a woman can be by fighting back against her oppressors.




5. Hermione Granger: Wit Beyond Measure

This list won’t be complete without one (or two) of the most notable female leads in recent literary history. Sure, the series may have been named after Harry Potter, but Harry wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without the help of Hermione. Throughout the series, Hermione demonstrated immeasurable intelligence, fierce loyalty, and immense compassion not only toward Harry, but for the causes she believes in as well.




6. Katniss Everdeen: Hero of a Revolution

Katniss Everdeen is the lead of Suzanne Collins’s dystopian sci-fi trilogy The Hunger Games, and yet another notable female character from recent literary history. When her sister is put up to fight to the death, Everdeen takes her place and goes to prove that there’s more to her than a media-worthy sob story. Eventually, Everdeen sparks a revolution against the twisted government she lives in, becomes its symbol, and leads it to victory.




7. Elizabeth Bennett: Victorian Ico

Jane Austen is one of history’s most notable female writers, and Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice is one of her most popular characters. Elizabeth, or Lizzie, comes from a family of five daughters. While her sisters were busy looking for husbands, Lizzie was busy improving herself, something that was obviously unheard of at the time.




8. Elphaba Thropp: Defying Gravity

One of the two leads in Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba is that witch who is best known for looking green—literally. Despite being gaslighted and shut down by everyone she meets because of how different she looks, Elphaba rises above the rest and proves that there are far more important things than looks: courage, compassion, and intelligence.




9. Glinda Upland: More Than Just Another Blonde

Galinda “Glinda” Upland is the other lead in Maguire’s Wicked. She is the complete opposite of Elphaba: popular, pretty, and, well, ditzy, at least at the beginning. Galinda starts off as being this self-absorbed little girl who just wants to be taken seriously. Eventually, she blossoms into a smart and respected woman, who values friendship and doing the right thing above all.




10. Amy Dunne: Gone, but Not Forgotten

Amy Dunne from Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl is a rare gem of a character. A true badass if there ever was one, Dunne manipulates multiple people, her husband and ex-lovers included, into getting what she wants. Dunne proves that there’s more to female villains than sitting in fancy chairs and letting other people do the dirty work. Pretty terrifying, to be honest.




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