Feminist Literary Theory What is Feminism In the

Feminist Literary Theory

What is Feminism? In the simplest terms, feminism is theory that women and men should be equal politically, economically, and socially. But are they? ?

Patriarchy A system (social, political, economic) dominated and controlled by men, modeled after family structures in which the father rules the household.

Feminist Issues Feminists commonly campaign on issues such as: – reproductive rights – domestic violence, – maternity leave, – equal pay, – sexual harassment, – sexual assault and discrimination.

Gender vs. Sex Gender indicates socio-cultural designations Sex indicates biological differences.

Gender as a Social Construction One element of feminist theory is the idea that gender is a social construction and has very little to do with any predetermined biological state. Social construction – Something just “constructed” by society (does not actually exist)

Feminist theorists talk about the different “spheres” that men and women participate in. Public sphere: traditionally seen as the place where males dominate (politics, business, government, etc. ) Private sphere: traditionally seen as the place where females are placed (in the home, in charge of domestics and caregiving).

Division of Labour “Women are naturally inclined towards housework and not aggressive or ambitious enough for other pursuits”. Really?

A “Good Wife’s Guide”

So What is Feminist Literary Theory? Feminist literary theory is a way to analyze written texts work by keeping in mind how gender influences our understanding of the world. Feminists see both Western & Non. Western societies as being patriarchal (male dominated) thus influencing how our society is organized/run.

The Male Word Until recently literature was almost exclusively works by males focusing on male experiences and tended to stereotype women into traditional gender roles.

Misogynistic View of Women Misogyny is the hatred of women. According to feminist theory, misogyny can be manifested in a number of ways, including sexual discrimination, violence against women and the sexual objectification of women.

Infantilization: The process by which women are stereotyped to appear child -like and innocent, condescended by their male counterparts and reduced to an infantile state or condition.

Sisterhood Sisterhood: The notion that women, who live in a patriarchal society, will form bonds with other women to overcome their oppression. They share a common experience.

Questions Feminist Critics Ask about Literature

Feminist Questions How are women’s lives portrayed in the work?

Feminist Questions Do the women in the work accept or reject traditional gender roles or stereotypes?

Feminist Questions Does the work challenge or affirm traditional ideas about women?

Feminist Questions What are the relationships between men and women?

Feminist Questions To what extent are female figures infantilized?

Feminist Questions Does the work reinforce or undermine patriarchal ideology?

Feminist Questions To what extent is a character’s life option constrained by gender?

Feminist Questions Does the work offer the possibility of a sisterhood as a mode of resisting patriarchy?

Questions to Ask/Think About When Analyzing through Feminist Perspective - Summary 1) Does the text question or examine gender bias? 2) What are the gender roles of the men and women in the text? Do the women in the text accept or reject their gender roles? 3) Does the text challenge or affirm traditional ideas about women? To what extent is a character’s life options constrained by gender? 4) Does the work offer the possibility of a sisterhood as a mode of resisting patriarchy?

What feminist terms could you use to analyze this ad from a feminist literary perspective?