The subject of this diploma thesis is the representation of female characters from the position of authorship which is governed by a male gender identity and stereotypes that construct female characters. Given the breadth of material three novels are selected that are among the most representative in their period and historical habit. Those are: August Šenoa's novel Zlatarevo zlato, Ante Kovačić's U registraturi and Ranko Marinković's Kiklop. The myth of a woman perceived in two ways: as a mother or as a mistress occurs since the dawn of literature. This study specifically shows the stereotypical representation of female characters in the three above-mentioned novels. In the early stages of realism and later on, the authors used black and white technique and they were limited to two stereotypes: women seen as female saints and women as femme fatales. In first two novels saints are Dora Krupićeva and Anica, and femme fatales are Klara Grubarova and Laura. Later, the situation is quite different. Stereotypical representation is replaced by psychological characterization and multilayeredness. Due to the changes that have occurred in the world, inevitably came to their reflection in literature. Ranko Marinković's Kiklop revived two women who somehow continued the traditional paradigm of the protagonist in the novels since they retained some of the major features, for example, the figure of the female saint Viviana is passive female character who needs protector, as well as were Dora and Anica, but she is not the epitome of innocence as those two were, and her life is not bound by patriarchal upbringing. We see her in the town cafes and while wandering the streets. The figure of femme fatale is not as fanciful and demonized as it was in previous stages of literature. On the contrary, Marinković's Enka operates realist, her origin is not mystery, nor she has some mysterious abilities. Marinković dealt with his predecessors, with black and white technique and he proved that the shades in representing characters are of crucial importance.