Simone de Beauvoir was a very prominent French philosopher of the 20th century. One of her most famous works was a book called ‘The Second Sex’, which provided an analysis of the position of women throughout history. It influenced many writers during the 20th century and since, including Margaret Atwood and Carol Ann Duffy. If you are studying ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, ‘The World’s Wife’, ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’, or any other text which provides a feminist angle, ‘The Second Sex’ may be worth a read (or at least a few chapters).

I made notes on the Introduction and First Chapter to give you an idea of the ideas explored in the book – there are some very good quotes to provide a feminist/literary context analysis for your texts (especially Handmaid’s).