Feminist CriticismFeminist Criticism

The emotional, The emotional, sexual, and sexual, and psychological psychological stereotyping of stereotyping of females begins when females begins when the doctor says, "It's the doctor says, "It's a girl." a girl."

~Shirley Chisholm ~Shirley Chisholm

Three Waves of FeminismThree Waves of FeminismFirst Wave late 1700s-early 1900sFirst Wave late 1700s-early 1900s

Vindication of the Vindication of the Rights of WomenRights of Women by by Mary WollstonecraftMary Wollstonecraft

Susan B. AnthonySusan B. Anthony

Women’s suffrageWomen’s suffrage

Three Waves of FeminismThree Waves of FeminismSecond Wave early 1960s-late1970sSecond Wave early 1960s-late1970s

Equal working Equal working conditionsconditions

NOW-National NOW-National Organization for Organization for WomenWomen

Simone de BeauvoirSimone de Beauvoir Elaine ShowalterElaine Showalter Dove-tailed with the Dove-tailed with the

American Civil Rights American Civil Rights MovementMovement

Three Waves of FeminismThree Waves of FeminismThird Wave early 1990s-presentThird Wave early 1990s-present

Resists the white, Resists the white, heterosexual, middle class heterosexual, middle class focus of second wave focus of second wave feminismfeminism

Alice Walker: “reconcile Alice Walker: “reconcile [feminism] with the concerns [feminism] with the concerns of the black community… of the black community… [and] the survival and [and] the survival and wholeness of her people, wholeness of her people, men and women both, and men and women both, and for the promotion of dialog for the promotion of dialog and community as well as the and community as well as the valorization of women and of valorization of women and of all the varieties of work all the varieties of work women perform” (Tyson 97).women perform” (Tyson 97).

Feminist CriticismFeminist Criticism

Critiques how females are Critiques how females are commonly represented in textcommonly represented in text and how insufficient these and how insufficient these

representations are as a representations are as a categorizing device. categorizing device.

They focus on how femininity is They focus on how femininity is represented as being passive and represented as being passive and emotionalemotional Example: the “caregiver,” while the Example: the “caregiver,” while the

male is associated with reason and male is associated with reason and action – the “doer.”action – the “doer.”

“Ophelia and Laertes (or Ophelia here is Rosemary)" oil on Canvas. Circa 1880William Borman Wills

Feminist CriticismFeminist Criticism

As an addition to the feminist As an addition to the feminist movement in politics, the movement in politics, the feminist critique of literature feminist critique of literature seeks to raise the seeks to raise the consciousness about the consciousness about the importance and unique importance and unique nature of women in literature, nature of women in literature, and to point out how and to point out how language has been used to language has been used to marginalize women.marginalize women.

Specifically, the feminist view Specifically, the feminist view attempts to:attempts to:

1.1. Show that writers of Show that writers of traditional literature have traditional literature have ignored women and have ignored women and have presented misguided and presented misguided and prejudiced views of themprejudiced views of them

2.2. Create a critical landscape Create a critical landscape that reflects a balanced view that reflects a balanced view of the nature and value of of the nature and value of womenwomen

Specifically, the feminist view attempts to:Specifically, the feminist view attempts to:

3. Expand the literary canon by recovering 3. Expand the literary canon by recovering works of women of the past and publication works of women of the past and publication of contemporary female writersof contemporary female writers

4. Urge transformation in the language to 4. Urge transformation in the language to eliminate inequities and inequalities that eliminate inequities and inequalities that result from linguistic distortions such as result from linguistic distortions such as mankindmankind (rather than (rather than humanity)humanity). .

Though a number of different approaches exist in feminist criticism, there exist Though a number of different approaches exist in feminist criticism, there exist some areas of commonality. This list is excerpted from Lois Tyson: some areas of commonality. This list is excerpted from Lois Tyson:

Women are oppressed by patriarchy economically, politically, Women are oppressed by patriarchy economically, politically, socially, and psychologically; patriarchal ideology is the socially, and psychologically; patriarchal ideology is the primary means by which they are kept so primary means by which they are kept so

In every domain where patriarchy reigns, woman is other: she In every domain where patriarchy reigns, woman is other: she is marginalized, defined only by her difference from male is marginalized, defined only by her difference from male norms and values norms and values

All of western (Anglo-European) civilization is deeply rooted in All of western (Anglo-European) civilization is deeply rooted in patriarchal ideology, for example, in the biblical portrayal of patriarchal ideology, for example, in the biblical portrayal of Eve as the origin of sin and death in the worldEve as the origin of sin and death in the world

While biology determines our sex (male or female), culture While biology determines our sex (male or female), culture determines our gender (masculine or feminine)determines our gender (masculine or feminine)

All feminist activity, including feminist theory and literary All feminist activity, including feminist theory and literary criticism, has as its ultimate goal to change the world by criticism, has as its ultimate goal to change the world by prompting gender equality prompting gender equality

Gender issues play a part in every aspect of human Gender issues play a part in every aspect of human production and experience, including the production and production and experience, including the production and experience of literature, whether we are consciously aware of experience of literature, whether we are consciously aware of these issues or not (91). these issues or not (91).

Feminist Critical QuestionsFeminist Critical Questions How is the relationship between men and women portrayed?How is the relationship between men and women portrayed? What are the power relationships between men and women (or What are the power relationships between men and women (or

characters assuming male/female roles)?characters assuming male/female roles)? How are male and female roles defined?How are male and female roles defined? What constitutes masculinity and femininity?What constitutes masculinity and femininity? How do characters embody these traits?How do characters embody these traits? Do characters take on traits from opposite genders? How so? How Do characters take on traits from opposite genders? How so? How

does this change others’ reactions to them?does this change others’ reactions to them? What does the work reveal about the operations (economically, What does the work reveal about the operations (economically,

politically, socially, or psychologically) of patriarchy?politically, socially, or psychologically) of patriarchy? What does the work imply about the possibilities of sisterhood as a What does the work imply about the possibilities of sisterhood as a

mode of resisting patriarchy?mode of resisting patriarchy? What does the work say about women's creativity?What does the work say about women's creativity? What does the history of the work's reception by the public and by What does the history of the work's reception by the public and by

the critics tell us about the operation of patriarchy?the critics tell us about the operation of patriarchy? What role the work play in terms of women's literary history and What role the work play in terms of women's literary history and

literary tradition? literary tradition?

Feminist Criticism ResourcesFeminist Criticism Resources Mary Wollstonecraft - Mary Wollstonecraft - A Vindication of the Rights of WomenA Vindication of the Rights of Women, 1792, 1792 Simone de Beauvoir - Simone de Beauvoir - Le deuxieme sexeLe deuxieme sexe, 1972, 1972 Julia Kristeva - Julia Kristeva - About Chinese WomenAbout Chinese Women, 1977, 1977 Elaine Showalter - Elaine Showalter - A Literature of Their OwnA Literature of Their Own, 1977;; "Toward a , 1977;; "Toward a

Feminist Poetics," 1979 Feminist Poetics," 1979 Deborah E. McDowell - "New Directions for Black Feminist Deborah E. McDowell - "New Directions for Black Feminist

Criticism," 1980Criticism," 1980 Alice Walker - Alice Walker - In Search of Our Mother's GardensIn Search of Our Mother's Gardens, 1983, 1983 Lillian S. Robinson - "Treason out Text: Feminist Challenges to the Lillian S. Robinson - "Treason out Text: Feminist Challenges to the

Literary Canon," 1983 Literary Canon," 1983 Camile Paglia - Camile Paglia - Sexual Personae: The Androgyne in Literature and Sexual Personae: The Androgyne in Literature and

ArtArt, 1990 , 1990