No Woman Born
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2021) |
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| Author | C.L Moore |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Utopian story, feminist science fiction |
Publication date | December 1944 |
| Publication place | United States |
No Woman Born is a utopian story from 1944, written by American feminist C.L Moore. The book describes a former superstar, turned robot after a fire accident. The story touches on many feminist themes and discusses problems that could occur with science fiction technology. It is often called the first story on cyborgs. The author, C.L. Moore is a science fiction and fantasy writer, with her major writings being published in the 1930s. She paved the way for many other female authors by being one of the first to write in this genre. Her work was often published in magazines, such as Astounding Science Fiction magazine and Weird Tales, or collective books. She was married to Henry Kuttner and the pair often wrote texts together, including the novels The Brass Ring and The Day He Died. She eventually died of Alzheimer's disease in 1987. She earned many awards, most recently awarded in 2019, the Retro Hugo Award for best Novelette for the year 1944. Moore also earned her first award in 1978, the Fritz Leiber Award, and was recognized on numerous occasions in between.
Plot summary
Plot Summary: “No Woman Born” is a dramatic story from The Great SF Stories 6 (1944). It was regarded as an extremely well done and popular piece when it was first released. The story is set in the future and takes place in New York City. Deirdre, one of the three main characters, is an extremely popular and beautiful singer/actress/dancer. She is referred to as “the loveliest creature whose image ever moved along the airways”. She tragically becomes injured in a theatre fire and leaves the whole world to be extremely saddened by her loss. A male scientist by the name of Maltzer, another one of the three main characters, quickly works to try to save Deirdres body before it is too late. He places her ‘body’, her brain, into the new metal body. Maltzer, along with Deirdres manager Harris, work with her over the next year to ensure that she would be fit to return to the public after her transformation. Harris loves Deirdre and only wants the best for her, Maltzer however is a bit unsure of her. Deirdre eventually decides that she is ready, and wants to perform for the public again on television in her new form. She has great hopes that the public will accept her for who she is and will still consider her a person. Maltzer, however, does to think that her return will be as smooth as she perceives. Harris, who previously supported her, also is not sure about Deirdre returning to the public. Maltzer and Harris both are possessive over Deirdre and often refer to her as their “dear”, and always assume that they know much more than her. Deirdre tells Harris and Maltzer that she has already arranged to have a surprise TV performance later in the day, and also mentions that neither Maltzer nor Harris have any say in her decision. Maltzer may have built her body, but he does now own her. They are not pleased with how she is acting and do not believe she will ever be able to live as a human on earth. Maltzer starts arguing about how he had wished he had let her die off. Contrary to Maltzer, and Harris's, beliefs, Deirdres first performance was an extreme success. The positive reactions given from the audience have influenced Harris's ideas on Deirdre to change, he has now become relieved with the whole situation. Maltzer is still incredibly mad and believes that the audience will only enjoy this for so long. He, once again, states how he knows Deirdre more than she knows herself. Harris tries to calm Maltzer down throughout his turmoil and Maltzer throws him out. Deirdre sees his frustration and takes a two-week break from performing to let him calm down. This break, however, does not calm Maltzer down. It can be interpreted that Maltzer intends to commit suicide in their next meeting with Deirdre. After a mass of events Deirdre admits that she is not happy, and agrees that she is straying further away from humanity. She also states how she wants to continue performing because it is the only thing that allows her to feel as if she is truly part of humanity.
Science fiction and feministic themes
The use of cyborgs in the story emphasized the feminism topic by including ideas revolving around body image in females. The main female, Deirdre, was mainly praised for her looks and after becoming a cyborg, there was fear that her audience would lose interest in her . This idea was meant to emphasize the fact that women in the media are centered around their looks and appearance rather than their personality or intelligence, creating body ideals for the viewers. Her manager and doctor's doubt in her ability to keep an audience after her appearance changed depicts how valued her looks were before the accident. Although Deidre was confident in who she was, they were hesitant. Because they had so much power in what happened with her career, they eventually were able to convince Deidre to quit and her humanity deteriorated to the point of no return. Their power to ultimately diminish her humanity is another representation of the male superiority over females[1]
Historical context
The historical and social context of the story reflects much of World War 2, being that the story takes place directly after. It criticizes the revert to social gender norms post war after women have already proven their ability to do mens work "Neither Normal nor Human": The Cyborg in C. L. Moore's "No Woman Born". A major idea implicated was the fact that during the war, many men were disabled and looked toward technology to resume living a normal life. The cyborg aspect of the story is reflective of men's use of technology. Because a female became a cyborg, it criticizes the idea that only men have access to technology and its benefits. Post war times, men were encouraged to adapt to new technologies and new ways of life while women were forced back to their home duties and limited responsibilities. Deidre's possession of cyborg technology directly opposes the post war resolution and advocates for women's place in the field of technology.
References
- "Feminism, Technology, and Art in C. L. Moore's "No Woman Born"
- "Neither Normal nor Human": The Cyborg in C. L. Moore's "No Woman Born"
- Not of Woman Born: A Scientific Fantasy
- No Woman Born by C.L. Moore
- Retro Review: “No Woman Born” by C.L. Moore
- C. L. Moore Wikipedia Page
- Crispin, E. (1958). Best Sf: Science fiction stories. Faber and Faber.