Thursday, 12 January 2012

Menopausal women in literature

I had been thinking about the way women are portrayed in literature, particularly older women, and how little mention there is of the menopause as a part of women's lives. So I am on the look out for examples of menopausal women in my reading. This first one is from 'The Personal History of Rachel Dupree' by Ann Weisgarber, that I have been listening to on audiobook. This is a description of Mrs Fills-the-pipe, a native american woman who Rachel invites for tea on the porch, in spite of her husband's antagonism to 'Indians'.

"She looked older and slower than she had in the spring. Her back was bent with a little hump reminding me how women folded in on themselves when their child bearing years had passed."

1 comment:

  1. You're back here! Nice to see you ... and what a challenge - I'll have a look around myself too now that you have mentioned it.

    I have to let you know that the Night Sweats do diminish (your previous post), and in this weather I could do with a little hot flush.

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