The 10 Strongest Female Literary Characters of All Time

Elizabeth Bennett

Called “Lizzie” or “Eliza” by her family and friends, Elizabeth Bennett is the stubborn and witty protagonist from the endearing 1813 Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice. She’s the second oldest of five daughters in the Bennett family and, like the rest of her sisters, she’s expected to marry for status and money, not for love. To remain true to herself, she’s willing to remain single, a concept that was practically unheard at the time. These love and marriage stories are outrageous in any century.