LITERARY THEORY: FEMINISM
MODULE 14
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
AT THE END OF THE LESSON, THE STUDENTS
MUST BE ABLE TO:
1. DISCUSS THE CONCEPT OF FEMINIST THEORY; AND
2. EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF FEMINISM IN WOMEN
EMPOWERMENT.
WHAT IS FEMINISM?
FEMINISM IS THE BELIEF IN AND
ADVOCACY FOR EQUAL RIGHTS AND
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND MEN
IN SOCIAL, POLITICAL, CULTURAL, AND
ECONOMIC SPHERES.
IT SEEKS TO CHALLENGE AND DISMANTLE
SYSTEMS OF PATRIARCHY AND SEXISM.
FEMINISM IN THE 1950S-60S:
FEMINIST CRITICS ARGUED THAT MEN CONTROLLED
THE LITERARY WORLD BY:
DEFINING "LITERATURE" BASED ON MALE-CENTRIC
PERSPECTIVES.
EXCLUDING WORKS BY AND ABOUT WOMEN FROM
THE LITERARY CANON.
MISINTERPRETING OR UNDERVALUING WOMEN
CHARACTERS IN STORIES.
FEMINIST LITERARY CRITICISM'S
IMPACT:
REPRESENTATION AND RESPECT
WOMEN IN ACADEMIA
RECOGNITION
CHALLENGING OLD NORMS
EMERGENCE OF GENDER STUDIES
GENDER STUDIES EXPANDED FEMINIST STUDIES TO
ADDRESS BROADER TOPICS, SUCH AS THE
CONSTRUCTION AND PERCEPTION OF FEMININITY
AND MASCULINITY, VARIATIONS WITHIN EACH
GENDER EMPHASIZING DIVERSITY, THE
REPRESENTATION OF MARGINALIZED GROUPS LIKE
LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS, AND THE EXPLORATION OF
POWER DYNAMICS IN LITERATURE THAT REFLECT OR
CHALLENGE SOCIETAL NORMS.
FEMINIST CRITICISM'S
GOALS:
FAIR REPRESENTATION
EMPOWERMENT
SOCIAL CHANGE
KEY OUTCOMES OF
FEMINIST CRITICISM:
INCLUSION OF WOMEN’S VOICES AND
EXPERIENCES IN LITERARY STUDIES.
GREATER AWARENESS OF GENDER BIAS AND
ITS IMPLICATIONS.
PROMOTION OF DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES,
ENRICHING LITERATURE AND CRITICISM.
FEMINIST CRITICISM AND
KEY CONTRIBUTORS:
FEMINIST CRITICS ARGUE THAT LITERATURE HAS
BEEN DOMINATED BY MALE-PRODUCED
ASSUMPTIONS AND AIM TO COMBAT PATRIARCHY
BY PROMOTING WOMEN'S EQUALITY AND DRIVING
SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH ACTIVISM. PROMINENT
FEMINIST WRITERS INCLUDE AFRICAN AUTHORS
LIKE AMA ATA AIDOO, BUCHI EMECHETA, AND
ZULU SOFOLA.
FEMINIST CRITICISM AND
KEY CONTRIBUTORS:
EARLY CRITICS LIKE SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR, MARY
ELLMAN, AND KATE MILLETT EXPOSED
STEREOTYPES OF WOMEN IN LITERATURE AS
"OTHERS" OR CARICATURES (E.G., BITCHES, SEX
GODDESSES), ADVOCATING FOR A FEMALE READER
FREE FROM OFFENSIVE STEREOTYPES.
TYPICAL QUESTIONS FOR FEMINIST
LITERARY CRITICISM
TYPICAL QUESTIONS
WHAT TYPES OF ROLES DO WOMEN HAVE IN THE TEXT?
ARE THE FEMALE CHARACTERS THE PROTAGONISTS OR SECONDARY AND
MINOR CHARACTERS?
DO ANY STEREOTYPICAL CHARACTERIZATIONS OF WOMEN APPEAR?
WHAT ARE THE ATTITUDES TOWARD WOMEN HELD BY THE MALE
CHARACTER?
WHAT ARE THE ATTITUDE TOWARD WOMEN IN SOCIETY?
TYPICAL QUESTIONS
HOW WOMEN’S LIVES PORTRAYED IN THE WORK?
IS THE FORM AND CONTENT OF THE WORK INFLUENCES BY THE WRITERS
GENDER?
HOW DO MALE AND FEMALE CHARACTERS RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER? ARE THESE
RELATIONSHIPS SOURCES OF CONFLICT? ARE THESE CONFLICTS RESOLVED?
DOES THE WORK CHALLENGE OR AFFIRM TRADITIONAL VIEWS OF
WOMEN?
HOW DO THE IMGAGES OF WOMEN IN THE STORY REFLECT PATRIACHAL
SOCIAL FORCES THAT HAVE IMPEDED WOMEN’S EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE
FULL EQUALITY WITH MEN?
TYPICAL QUESTIONS
WHAT MARITAL EXPECTATIONS ARE IMPOSED ON THE CHARACTERS? WHAT EFFECT
DO THESE EXPECTATIONS HAVE?
WHAT BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS ARE IMPOSED ON THE CHARACTERS?
WHAT EFFECT DO THESE EXPECTATIONS HAVE?
IF A FEMALE CHARACTER WERE MALE, HOW WOULD THE STORY BE DIFFERENT
(AND VICE VERSA)?
HOW DOES THE MARITAL STATUS OF A CHARACTER AFFECT HER
DECISIONS OR HAPPINESS?
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF
FEMINIST LITERARY CRITICISM
ADVANTAGES
INCREASED AWARENESS OF
GENDER INEQUALITIES.
BRINGS VISIBILITY TO THE ROLES
OF WOMEN AND GENDER
RELATIONS IN LITERATURE AND
SOCIETY.
HIGHLIGHTS HOW GENDER ROLES
ARE SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED.
DISADVANTAGES
RISK OF HYPOCRISY BY DEGRADING
MEN, MIRRORING THE BEHAVIOR
PERCEIVED BIAS AGAINST MEN,
THEY CRITIQUE.
OVERLOOKING THOSE WHO
SUPPORT FEMINISM OR IDENTIFY
AS FEMINISTS.
POTENTIAL OVEREMPHASIS ON
WOMEN'S RIGHTS,
OVERSHADOWING BROADER
PERSPECTIVES.
ON THE BASIS OF SEX
THE MAIN IDEA OF ON THE BASIS OF SEX IS RUTH BADER GINSBURG'S GROUNDBREAKING LEGAL
BATTLE AGAINST GENDER DISCRIMINATION, WHICH MIRRORS FEMINIST EFFORTS TO
CHALLENGE PATRIARCHAL SYSTEMS AND PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY. THE FILM ILLUSTRATES
HOW GINSBURG'S WORK FOR EQUAL REPRESENTATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE ALIGNS WITH
FEMINIST CRITICISM'S GOALS OF ADVOCATING FOR FAIR PORTRAYAL AND DISMANTLING
SEXISM IN SOCIETY AND LITERATURE.
RUTH BADER GINSBURG
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.