This Is How Old The Women In Little Women Are Supposed To Be

The plot of Little Women — first written in 1868 — is a tale for the ages considering it follows four young women on their journeys into adulthood and life. Part of what makes the story transcend generation after generation so well is the fact that these Little Women could be any of us, at any age, at any time, whether yesterday or today. 

But in reality, the women are actually young women — in the sense that they’re all tweens and teenagers slowly growing into adulthood. Back in the 1990s when you watched the Winona Ryder version you probably thought these little women were so old, and now with Greta Gerwig’s new take on the classic, we’re once again looking at the March sisters as if they're a few years older. In reality, they’re much, much younger than they appear. 

With some cinematic liberties (this is a movie, after all), we’re led to believe the characters in Little Women are aged up a tiny bit, but it doesn’t hinder the story at all — even though the actresses playing them don't match the years on screen. If you’re looking for how old Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are actually supposed to be, we’ve got you covered.