This research paper attempts to give a feminist analysis of henrik ibsens a dolls house based on the angloamerican approach to feminist literary theory. Gender issues play a part in every aspect of human production and experience, including the production and experience of literature, whether we are consciously aware of these issues or not. A type of literary criticism that became a dominant force in western literary studies in the late 1970. Mar 04, 2018 here is the lecture on unit 2 of english 110. There have been several prominent schools of thought in feminist literary criticism there are. It will first explain the feminist literary theory as a term as well as a practice and its function in literary criticism, followed by an explanation of the angloamerican. Jun 01, 2016 a feminist analysis of henrik ibsens a dolls house analysing the role that literary forms and practices, together with the discourses of literary criticism and theory, play in. Feminism has transformed the academic study of literature, fundamentally altering the canon of what is taught and setting new agendas for literary analysis. Feminist criticism comes in many forms, and feminist critics have a variety of goals. Feminist literary criticism recognizes that since literature both reflects culture and shapes it, literary studies can either perpetuate the oppression of women or help to eliminate it. Pdf this book is a collection of eighteen major essays on feminist criticism, which is basically concerned with the literary representations of sexual. This research guide will assist you in finding sources for feminist literary criticism.
In faulkners a rose for emily, the townspeople visited emily griersons house because it smelled bad. Feminist literary criticism helps us look at literature in a different light. A sampling of critical lenses literary theories were developed as a means to understand the various ways people read texts. Literary criticism the analysis of a literary text though various lenses that highlight authorial stance, purpose, and perspective. Rather, there have been evolutions of the different frameworks under the broad heading of feminist theory since the late 1700s. Jan 29, 20 introduction to feminist literary criticism 1. Additionally, the period considered first wave feminism also contributed extensively to literature and womens presence within it. The authors of the western canon are predominately white men, which means that their perspective is given the most representation, and many critics consider their voices to be domineering, exclusionary, and biased in favor of a male. This page intentionally left blank a history of feminist literary criticism feminism has transformed the academic study of literature, funda mentally. Women have something valuable to contribute to every aspect of the world. An example of first wave feminist literary analysis would be a critique of william shakespeares taming of the shrew for petruchios abuse of katherina. Pdf this article offers a feminist literary analysis of selected contemporary south african texts by women writers in order to explore how they. Until very recently, feminist criticism has not had a theoretical basis. Yet between feminist ideology and the liberal ideal of dis interestedness lies the wilderness of theory, which we too must make our home.
Some feminist critics seek to interpret the works of male authors, with particular attention to women characters, in order to explore the moral, political and social restrictions. Feminist literary criticism is the critical analysis of literary works based on the feminist perspective. It aims to understand the nature of gender inequality. Feminist theory is an outgrowth of the general movement to empower women worldwide. Since people have written literature, critics have been interpreting it. Womens role in society as portrayed through texts woman as a construct through literature 3. Feminist literary criticism may bring in tools from other critical disciplines, such as historical analysis, psychology, linguistics, sociological analysis, and economic analysis.
Feminist criticism in our times has come to occupy a highly significant place in the field of theories concerned with interpretation and analysis of texts and hence it becomes a concern of. In particular, feminist literary critics tend to reject the patriarchal norms of literature that privileges masculine ways of thinkingpoints of view and marginalizes women politically, economically and psychologically, according to paul ady, associate professor of english at assumption. Thanks to feminist literary criticism number of feminist writers have considerably increased. Key concepts hegemonic masculinity patriarchal dividend. Feminist literary criticism is active since 19th century. Introduction in 1997 the first edition of joanne kathleen rowlings first novel, harry potter and the philosophers stone, was printed in a limited edition of only 500 copies blake 2002. Women, feminist literary criticism, novel, patriarchy, literature. Feminist fights for the equality of women and argue that women should share equally in societys opportunities and scare resources.
Feminist theory is the extension of feminism into theoretical, fictional, or philosophical discourse. Including an historical overview of feminism and an account of the prominent feminist theories, this thesis analyses how the two novelsauthors portray women within their. In other words, feminist literary criticism is a kind of literary criticism on the basis of feminist theory or the politics of feminism more precisely. In particular, feminist literary critics tend to reject the patriarchal norms of literature that privileges masculine ways of thinkingpoints of view and marginalizes women politically, economically and. Feminist literary criticism the new york public library. Meanwhile another group of critics including sandra gilbert, susan gubar, patricia meyer spacks, and showalter herself created a somewhat different model. In her essay, feminist criticism in the wilderness, showalter, a major representative of angloamerican feminist literary theory, talks about two kinds of feminist criticism. The proponents of each theory believe their theory is the theory, but most of us interpret texts according to the rules of several different theories at a time. Including an historical overview of feminism and an account of the prominent feminist theories, this thesis analyses how the two novelsauthors. Another important concern of feminist criticism is womens writing. Oct 23, 2019 according to feminist scholars, the canonical texts of western literature represent the voices of those who have been given the power to speak in western culture. My discovery of feminist literary criticism thus became inextricably intertwined in my own mind with my discovery of literary theory. This mode of interpretation is important not only to understanding how gender affects characters in a work, but also in understanding the societal values that are reflected by the work. For example, to go along with chapter 7, genre criticism, i have added a section on the modern genre of magic realism.
It examines womens and mens social roles, experiences, interests, chores, and feminist politics in a variety of fields, such as anthropology and sociology, communication, media studies, psychoanalysis, home economics, literature. All feminist activity, including feminist theory and literary criticism, has as its ultimate goal to change the world by prompting gender equality. For example, feminist critics may claim that certain male writers address their readers as if they were all men and exclude the female reader. Second wave feminism cultural the second wave of feminism in the 1960s and 1970s was characterized by a critique of. In this authoritative history of feminist literary criticism, leading scholars chart the. A case study from the twenties paul lauter 39 womens oppression today. There are many different kinds of feminist literary theory. Pdf a feminist analysis of henrik ibsens a dolls house.
Feminist analysis students teaching english paper strategies. In faulkners a rose for emily, the townspeople visit emily griersons house because it smells bad. The theory and practice of feminist criticism sage journals. It applies the philosophies and perspectives of feminism to the literature we read. Introduction as a social movement, feminist criticism highlights the various ways women in particular have been oppressed, suppressed and repressed bressler 185 one of the most potent aspects of feminist literary criticism is to uncover the latent dynamics in a novel relevant to womens inferior role in. Youll meet a number of pieces of feminist writings which are bestsellers today. Feminist criticism, gynocriticism, malecentred, femininity. Unlike some other kinds of literary criticism cough psychoanalysis cough, feminism doesnt just want to talk about new ways of reading secret phallus symbols into old classics. Brief analysis of feminist literary criticism atlantis press. Some theorists examine the language and symbols that are used and how that language and use of. Thus, this paper argues that feminist literary theory is a useful tool to analyze show more content domination and authority over women are reflected by the male characters in things fall apart, specially the protagonist okonkwo, as he oppresses his wives and overly abuse his power as the male dominator. Feminist practice and poststructuralist theory chris weedon 36 race and gender in the shaping of the american literary canon.
Topics cover all aspects of womens literature, gender and feminism through literary criticism and the work of women literary theorists. American feminism which has its stronghold in academia, has worked to add texts by female writers t the canon. Pdf a history of feminist literary criticism alexander. And beyond the realm of the personal, feminist theory has literally opened up a whole new world of reading. Feminist theory is an approach that focuses on the way women are represented in literature. Feminist theory is founded on three main principles ropershuilman, 2002. Pdf a history of feminist literary criticism alexander kasilag. Feminist literary analysis in chinu acebes thing falls apart. The careful analysis of feminist literary criticism strives to correct the imbalance if maledomination on literature and create equally competence for both genders. Feminist criticism may also look at intersectionality, looking at how factors including race, sexuality, physical ability, and class are also involved. Feminism can be defined as a recognition and critique of male supremacy combined with effort to change it. In a readers guide to contemporary feminist literary criticism, maggie humm explains that marxism offers both a way of linking historical evidence of womens oppression with literary texts and understanding how writers consciously or unconsciously transpose that evidence into their text 75. Elaine showalter advocates gynocriticism, in which the concerns of the woman as writer are. Feminist research should do more than critique, but.
There is no original or primary gender a drag imitates, but gender is a kind of. Feminist literary criticism in english literature free essay. Some theorists examine the language and symbols that are used and how that language and use of symbols is gendered. How to use feminist literary criticism pen and the pad. Feminist criticism is concerned with the ways in which literature and other cultural productions reinforce or undermine the economic, political, social, and. Some have been interested in rediscovering the works of women writers. Feminist literary criticism can be traced back to medieval times, with some arguing that geoffrey chaucers wife of bath could be an example of early feminist literary critics. What is the feminist approach to literary criticism. Briefly, feminist criticism aims to reinterpret literature from a female point of view. Since the 1970s, feminist scholars have reshaped the. This lecture introduces feminist literary criticism by giving a history of feminism and introducing the foundational concepts of feminist theory. Harry potter through the focus of feminist literary theory. Feminism is the doctrine advocating social, political, and economic rights for women equal to those of men. As an oppressed group, women have been unable to achieve their potential, receive rewards, or gain full participation in society.
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