The topic of this thesis is feminism and feminist literary research in Finnish and in translated fiction. The topic is current, not only in the field of literature, but also from social point of view. Feminism is a socially important contributor to equality, so it is important to explore the history, development and opportunities of feminism and to interpret its effects on fiction. The thesis was commissioned by Oulu University of Applied Sciences.

The aim was to point out how feminist research, feminist literary research, feminism, female portrayal and woman's status developed in both literary and social form. The research methods used in this thesis were qualitative research and the hermeneutical method. Biographical method was applied in the interpretation of fictional works.

The result of the thesis can be seen how versatile the feminist fiction is and how it has developed over the decades. There is no simple definition of what feminist fiction is. The author produces the text based on his or her own views which can be unintentionally or deliberately read as feminist fiction.

Each reader is their own individual, and everyone processes the text in their own way. Fiction is interpretative and often based on the readers' own perceptions, values and attitudes. Feminist fiction is, however, of considerable importance in literature and should be seen as an opportunity to influence both social, cultural and economic issues.