Little Women

4.7 (5,398 ratings)

Written by: Louisa May Alcott

Performed by: Emily Bauer, Laura Dern, Lauren Fortgang, Allison Hiroto, Carly Robins, Suzanne Toren

Length: 12 hrs 15 mins

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Little Women is a beloved novel by Louisa May Alcott, first published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. Set in New England during the United States Civil War, it explores the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—as they transition from childhood into womanhood. The story closely mirrors the upbringing of Alcott and her three sisters, portraying the complexities of family life, personal growth, societal expectations, and the journey towards establishing your own identity.

When we first meet the March sisters and their mother, “Marmee,” they are striving to make ends meet and adjust to Mr. March’s absence due to his service as a chaplain in the Union Army. The story outlines the distinct personalities and aspirations of the four March sisters as they navigate through life's challenges and milestones. Meg, the eldest, is employed as a governess and cherishes traditional values, envisioning a future in domestic bliss. Jo, a passionate and fiery tomboy, aspires to be a writer while struggling with societal constraints. Beth, the peacemaker, is a gentle soul dedicated to keeping their home happy. Amy, the youngest, dreams of a life filled with art and luxury.

Throughout the novel, the March sisters form a close friendship with their wealthy neighbor Theodore "Laurie" Laurence, as they collectively face the realities of growing up and finding their place in the world. Each sister, through personal trials and experiences, including love, loss, and the pursuit of happiness, gradually discerns her path. Part Two of the novel, also known as Good Wives, continues three years later, revealing the outcomes of each sister’s coming-of-age journey and the evolving dynamics within their relationships as they enter adulthood.

Since its publication, Little Women has been acclaimed for its insightful portrayal of domestic life and the individual quests of women, making it a beloved classic across generations. It has been adapted numerous times for stage, film, and television, attesting to its enduring appeal and significant place in American literature. The novel not only offers a vivid account of 19th-century life but also champions the timeless idea that true love, work, and strong family bonds are interdependent in finding purpose and fulfillment.

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Louisa May Alcott was a prolific American novelist, short story writer, and poet, widely celebrated for her novel Little Women and its sequels, Little Men and Jo's Boys. Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1832, and raised in New England by her transcendentalist parents, Amos Bronson Alcott and Abigail "Abby" May, Alcott was exposed to prominent intellectuals such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau during her childhood. These influences, combined with financial difficulties faced by her family, shaped her writing and reformist views.

Alcott started working at an early age to help support her family, taking up jobs as a teacher, seamstress, governess, and writer. Though her literary career began with the publication of Flower Fables in 1849, she gained significant recognition with Hospital Sketches (1863), based on her letters home during her brief service as a nurse in the Civil War. Her early works, published under pseudonyms such as A. M. Barnard, were more sensational than her later and best known, semi-autobiographical novels. Little Women (1868), loosely based on her own experiences with her sisters, was a milestone in Alcott's career. The novel's success can be attributed to its relatable, vivid portrayal of the lives and struggles of the March sisters during the Civil War era, challenging contemporary stereotypes of women and girls. Alcott's work was notable for its candid treatment of the everyday lives and the emotional depth of its characters.

Aside from her literary achievements, Alcott was an unwavering abolitionist and feminist, advocating for women's suffrage and social reforms. She was the first woman to register to vote in Concord, Massachusetts. Alcott never married, and her personal life and views often reflected the independence and resilience of her characters, particularly Jo March. Despite suffering with health issues later in life, Alcott remained active in her writing and reform work until her death in 1888, just two days after her father's passing. Louisa May Alcott is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts, on a hillside known as Authors' Ridge, alongside other great American writers.