Depending on age, women scientists were represented differently.
19th century
During the 19th century, they would often be considered like strange characters, people mocking them or looking at them like they were too "masculine". They were out of the picture that was established by the society of those times. Science was a domain reserved by men. When women appeared in books, it was a minor character that was given to them, like the role of assistant or disciples of an intellectual male.
20th century
In the 20th century, some literary work started to show respect to women scientists, recognizing their contribution. The biography "Madame Curie" talking about Marie Curie, written by Ève Curie in 1938, is a great example, showcasing the life and discoveries made by this grand scientist.
Women scientists nowadays are way more valued and are seen as main characters pretty often in literary pieces and science fiction books.
