Breastfeeding: the evolutionary normal means for humans, as mammals, to nourish and nurture babies. Or is it in fact something disgusting, something that gets in the way of heterosexual relationships or that keeps fathers from developing close relationships with their children? Or is it perhaps a way of determining whether someone is a ‘good’ mother? Or, on the other hand, is it a feminist activity, a challenge to the patriarchy? Does a breastfeeding woman use her body how she likes, turning away from the male gaze? Must breastfeeding be kept to private, darkened rooms, or can it be done anywhere, any time? Is it part of women's work, and how should it be valued? How much does it contribute to society? What messages does a given society send to women about what their breasts are for, and how does literature embody this? And is this different across cultures? Finally, but not less importantly, why does any of this matter? Why is it worth discussing?

These are some of the issues I explore in this book. The Portrayal of Breastfeeding in Literature is a work that sits at the intersection of literary studies, cultural theory, sociology, politics and feminist theory, with a few other fields appearing as relevant, such as health, religion, history, art history, somatics and translation studies. The aim here is to understand how literature influences and is influenced by societal views of gender and how fiction for adults and children both shapes and is shaped by expectations for girls and women in a given society. With this analysis, I hope to raise fresh awareness of the power of literature to influence how readers see their own and other people's bodies, and also to illuminate cultural, political and historical differences that affect what writers describe and illustrators depict in literature when it comes to breasts and breastfeeding. I will explore the currently prevailing ways of depicting female bodies in English-and Swedish-language literature and discuss how societal norms influence the writing and illustrating of literature. My perspective is feminist and political, as are my aims. I hope raising awareness of literary depictions of breastfeeding can help lead to changing perceptions of breastfeeding and women's bodies.