Intro to Feminist Literary Theory

Also Known as: “Gender Criticism”

Sociological Approach

Basic premise of Feminist Theory:

“Literature is full of unexamined male-dominated

assumptions.”

Patriarchy• Patriarchy is an ideology that

privileges masculine ways of thinking/points of view and marginalizes women politically, economically, and psychologically.

Some Basic Tenets of Feminist Theory:• Women have

historically been excluded, suppressed, and exploited

• Traditional “Western Civilization” is patriarchal

• Women have represented values of nurturing, holism, and unity

• Women should be given the same opportunities as men

Feminist critics identify ways women

have been:

• Excluded from positions of power

• Supressed in traditional literature & film: male characters are dominant while female characters are secondary

• Exploited in literature & film by sexist stereotypes

Feminist critics:

• Examine relationships between men and women in literature & film

• Examine patriarchal society as it is represented in literature & film

• Look for positive female role models

• Look to establish a more inclusive literary and film industry

• Oppose images of misogyny

• Analyze female characters

• Analyze “the place” women hold in the text

• Analyze the social structure of the text, focusing on gender

• Compare how men and women writers present characters and use language

One Main Question:

• How does an author’s gender influence his or her writing?

Positive Aspects:

• Feminist criticism attempts to correct historical abuses against women

• It attempts to rectify sexist discrimination and inequalities

• It balances male perspectives with female ones

• It gives women more roles to play

Negative Aspects

• Feminism is a narrow-minded view, using only one limited approach to analyzing texts

• It can lead to reverse sexism

• It has led to problematic debates (the “culture wars”) about family values, etc.

Women Can Do It!

Women can do it!

Sources• Barry, Peter. Beginning Theory: An

Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. 2nd edition. NY: Manchester UP, 2002. Print.

• Brizee, Allen, and J. Case Tompkins. “Feminist Theory.”OWL at Purdue. Purdue University, 1995-2011. Web. 13 Sept. 2011.

• Sim, Stuart and Borin van Loon. Introducing Critical Theory: A Graphic Guide .Totem Books, 2005. Print.