Man's Rights; Or, How Would You Like It?
Early feminist utopian novel reversing gender roles on Mars.
Man's Rights; Or, How Would You Like It? Comprising Dreams is a novel by American writer Annie Denton Cridge, released in 1870. At 44 pages and published by William Denton, it stands as one of the earliest utopian science fiction works by a woman in the United States, and the first known feminist utopian novel by a female author.
The book is a work of utopian science fiction and satire. Its plot follows a first-person female narrator through nine dreams. In the first seven, she travels to Mars, where she finds a society with reversed gender roles: women rule and dominate, while men are subjugated and must organize to demand their rights. Initially confined to the home and tightly controlled, the men begin to achieve liberation after technological advancements ease their domestic burdens. In the final two dreams, the narrator visits a future United States governed by a female president, with equal numbers of men and women in the House and Senate. In this future, prostitutes are no longer fined or imprisoned; instead, male clients are arrested and sent to moral reformatories. Many women have become farmers, and the nation enjoys a prosperous economy. The narrator ends by questioning whether this vision might be a prophecy.
- author
- Annie Denton Cridge
- published
- 1870
- pages
- 44
- publisher
- William Denton
- field
- Utopian feminist science fiction
- nationality
- American
Lore & Background
Cridge published Man's Rights in 1870. The novel is a work of utopian science fiction and satire, describing a feminist utopia where gender roles are reversed: women dominate and rule, while men are dominated and must organize to claim their rights. The text presents nine dreams experienced by a first-person female narrator. In the first seven dreams, she visits the planet Mars, where she discovers a society with reversed traditional gender roles and stereotypes. The narrator witnesses the oppression of men on Mars and their struggle for equality. Initially confined to the home and strictly controlled, the men begin to work toward liberation after technological advances free them from some domestic tasks. In the last two dreams, the narrator visits a future United States led by a female president, with a balance of men and women in the House and Senate. Legislators have stopped fining and imprisoning prostitutes; instead, male clients are arrested and sent to moral reformatories. Many women have taken up farming, and the nation has a bright economic future. The narrator concludes by asking whether this dream is not, after all, a prophecy.
Reader's Guide
Man's Rights; Or, How Would You Like It? holds significance as one of the earliest utopian science fiction novels by a woman in the United States and the first known feminist utopian novel by a woman. Its publication in 1870 predates many later works in the genre. The novel uses a dream framework to explore gender role reversal, first on Mars and then in a future United States, critiquing contemporary social structures. By depicting men as the oppressed gender seeking liberation through technology and political action, Cridge offered a satirical inversion of 19th-century gender norms. The work also addresses specific reforms, such as the criminalization of male clients of prostitutes and women's participation in farming. Its legacy lies in its early contribution to feminist science fiction and utopian literature, influencing later writers. The novel remains a reference point for scholars studying the history of feminist thought and speculative fiction.
Did You Know?
- The novel is 44 pages long and was published by William Denton.
- It is the first known feminist utopian novel written by a woman.
- The narrator experiences nine dreams, seven set on Mars and two in a future United States.
- In the future United States, male clients of prostitutes are arrested and sent to moral reformatories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Man's Rights; Or, How Would You Like It? and when was it published?
American author Annie Denton Cridge wrote this 44-page novel, which William Denton published in 1870. It is recognized as the first known feminist utopian novel penned by a female author in the United States.
What is the basic premise of the story?
A first-person female narrator experiences a series of nine dreams, the first seven of which transport her to a Martian civilization where traditional gender roles are completely inverted. In that society, women hold all positions of political and social power while men are confined to subordinate, domestic roles.
What genre and tone does the novel employ?
The work blends utopian science fiction with sharp social satire, using the device of reversed gender dynamics to critique 19th-century American attitudes toward women's subordination. Its speculative Martian setting functions as an allegorical mirror for the narrator's own world.
How is the narrative structure of the book organized?
The entire plot unfolds through nine sequential dreams experienced by the unnamed female narrator, with the majority of the action set within a single Martian civilization. This dream-frame structure allows Cridge to explore multiple facets of gender inequality within a compact 44-page text.
Why is Man's Rights; Or, How Would You Like It? considered significant in feminist science fiction?
Published in 1870, it predates many well-known utopian works and stands as one of the earliest examples of a woman writing speculative fiction in the United States. Its direct, satirical confrontation with patriarchal norms made it a foundational text for later feminist SF writers exploring gender and power.
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