Understanding how gender and class connect in historical literature is important for seeing how society works.

First, there’s Marxist Feminism. This idea looks at how class and gender affect each other, especially in a capitalist system. It shows how women are often pushed to the side economically and are used as objects in stories.

Next, Social Constructionism talks about how our ideas of gender and class aren’t natural. They’re shaped by history and society. Literary works often show how these ideas change over time. By looking closely at characters and their stories, researchers can learn about how class and gender roles shift.

Then we have Feminist Literary Criticism. This approach digs into the power struggles in literature. It asks why stories often ignore or silence female voices. This theory looks at women writers and how different women's experiences are portrayed based on their economic status.

Also, there’s Intersectionality, a term created by Kimberlé Crenshaw. This concept helps us understand how different identities, like race, class, and gender, interact with each other. Literature often reflects these complex relationships during different historical times.

In summary, looking at gender and class through these theories helps us better understand historical literature. It shows us how stories not only reflect but also challenge the societal rules of their time.