Feminist criticism of the 1960s and 1970s concerned itself with the representation of women in literature as an expression of the social norms about women and their social roles and and as a means of socialization. The research methodology posed an implicit criticism of the kind of findings familiar from mainstream psychological research. An interdisciplinary branch of scholarship that analyzes. Literature will yield to a sociologist what it has to give only of it is approached as literature. Feminist theory, or feminism, is support of equality for women and men. Then the indication of the word literary criticism along with the origin and development of literary criticism has to be examined. If such history was previously traced more or less temporally.
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. Feminist literary criticism is used to explore the inequalities, social injustices and abusive messages directed toward women within patriarchal societies and cultures. Questions for reflection or discussion are highlighted in the text. College, gohana sonepat a type of literary criticism that became a dominant force in western literary studies in the late 1970. No other anthology offers so many bitesized tasters of work on gendered authorship, literary production, critical reception, sexuality and genre from romantic fiction to travel writing. This paper, therefore, seeks to establish the feminist literary theory in editha. Briefly, feminist criticism aims to reinterpret literature from a female point of view. Literary criticism bonnie zimmerman 18 compulsory heterosexuality andxesbian existence adrienne rich 24 saving the life that is your own.
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. A detailed analysis shows how each concept has been used. Home literary theory gynocriticism a brief note gynocriticism a brief note by nasrullah mambrol on september 25, 2016 3 a concept introduced by elaine showalter in towards a feminist poetics gynocriticism refers to a kind of criticism with woman as writerproducer of textual meaning, as against woman as reader feminist critique. This book offers an exploration of womens writing that focuses on the close links between literary texts and the theories that construct those texts as womens writing. Delivered a speech at ohio womens rights convention in akron, now known as aint i. Literary theory internet encyclopedia of philosophy. A readers guide to contemporary literary theory 5th edition. Third wave feminist theory and beyond has striven to include more identities and aspects of intersectionality, and feminist literary criticism has followed suit. Literary critical theory is a tool that helps you find meaning in. Feminism literary criticism pdf feminism ethnicity. An anthology of literary theory and criticism, which is the third edition of the anthology. Indeed, virtually all dimensions of sociological theory have been reevaluated through the lens of feminist theory. Literary canon is the group of texts deemed to be major works of literary tradition this includes partiarchy.
The literature in question is something in the definition of which terms of value judgement figure essentially and something accessible only to the reader capable of intelligent and sensitive criticism. Feminist theory and criticism while the term black feminism originated in the 1970s, the central tenets of black feminist ideology date back to the midnineteenth century. Essays on women, literature, and theory article pdf available in ilha do desterro april 2008 with 5,563 reads how we measure reads. Feminist criticism concern itself with stereotypical representations of genders. How to use feminist literary criticism pen and the pad. All feminist activity, including feminist theory and literary criticism, has as its ultimate goal to change the world by prompting gender equality.
It is primarily designed to serve as a textreference book for undergraduate and postgraduate students in indian universities and colleges. Compared with the first and second, this one reflects a more pluralistic approach to feminist literary history. In her essay, feminist criticism in the wilderness, showalter, a major representative of angloamerican feminist literary theory, talks about two kinds of feminist criticism. A reader is an indispensable guide, companion and handbook for students and teachers of womens literature. There are also criticism and critical theory edited by jeremy hawthorn. Theory, interpretation, pedagogy edited by greta gaard and patrick d.
Further material can be found via our library and via the various authors and theme pages. While in practice feminist critics continue to use a variety of methodological approaches to literature, there are common assumptions that underlie a feminist approach to anything. 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. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is. Feminist criticism is also concerned with less obvious forms of marginalization such as the exclusion of women writers from the traditional literary canon. A s feminist ideology would have it, the world presents a harsh and alien landscape to woman. Patriarchy is a system of social organization that traces descent through the male line and bestows privilege and power to males on the assumption of. Feminist theory an extension of feminisms critique of male power and ideology, feminist theory combines elements of other theoretical models such as psychoanalysis, marxism, poststructuralism, and deconstruction to interrogate the role of gender in the writing, interpretation, and dissemination of literary texts.
A very basic way of thinking about literary theory is that these ideas act as different lenses critics use to view and talk about art, literature, and even. Since the 1970s, feminist scholars have reshaped the. A norton reader, is the first collection to trace the historical evolution of feminist writing about literature in english from the middle ages to the twentyfirst century. Murphy university of illinois press urbana and chicago.
Patriarchy is a system of social organization that traces descent through the male line and bestows privilege and power to males on the assumption of their physical and intellectual superiority over women. In the united states, this alternativenatural birth movement has come. The readerresponse theory focused on the dynamic interaction between the structure or motives of the texts and the individual readers work of interpretation. Ecofeminist literary criticism is the first collection of its kind. Apr 27, 2012 feminist literary criticism feminist literary criticism is a product of the feminist movement of the 1960s. By nasrullah mambrol on june 23, 2017 1 chaos theory and complexity theory challenge some of our most deeply held beliefs about the nature of reality. Feminist literary criticism, arising in conjunction with sociopolitical feminism, critiques patriarchal language and literature by exposing how these reflect masculine ideology. Key concepts hegemonic masculinity patriarchal dividend. Women have something valuable to contribute to every aspect of the world. 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. The term black is radically unstable and is applied to various, related political positions. Feminist literary theory suggestions people are yet to yet eventually left the writeup on the game, or otherwise read it but.
Information on feminist literary criticism and theory, including autobiography, autography, autofiction, crime novels, detective stories, drama, theatre, plays. Apr 17, 2017 feminist literary criticism is used to explore the inequalities, social injustices and abusive messages directed toward women within patriarchal societies and cultures. Literary criticism or literary studies is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. There are many ways in which criticism may be classified. Aug 20, 2000 this book offers an exploration of womens writing that focuses on the close links between literary texts and the theories that construct those texts as womens writing. Each chapter deals with one of the issues or concepts that have engaged both authors and theorists rhetoric, work, consciousness, nature, class and race. Based on some introductory books on literary theory and literary criticism such as modern literary theory and ancient texts. Madsen this book offers an exploration of womens writing that focuses on the close links between literary texts and the theories that construct those texts as womens writing.
Feminist literary theory in editha the feminist literary theory remains primarily concerned with approaches through which literature and other cultural materials undermine or affirm the political, economic, psychological, and social oppression of women. Although all feminists strive for gender equality, there are various ways to approach this theory. Exclusion from the literary canon feminist criticism is also concerned with less obvious forms of marginalization such as the exclusion of women writers from the traditional literary canon. What are some main concerns of feminist literary theory. Critical methodology a feminist literary critic resists traditional assumptions while reading a text. Some notes on defining a feminist literary criticism annette kolodny as yet, no one has formulated any exacting definition of the term feminist criticism. Feminist literary theory so far with regards to the ebook we now have sexualtextual politics. Links in the text point to resources in the great writers inspire site.
Feminist criticism social political economic occupational seeking equality strengths of feminist criticism became involved in progressive friends who were strongly for womens rights. Some notes on defining a feminist literary criticism. Chaos theory, complexity theory and literary criticism. It is upon this commonality that i wish to dwell, so as to place feminist literary criticism within the context of a more general critical theory. Research assignment feminist literary theory in editha. Being concerned with the specificity of womens writings gynotexts and womens experiences, it focuses on female subjectivity, female language. Entries found in this sixvolume set allow students to evaluate how authors portray. Pdf a critical overview of literary criticism in english.
Ecofeminist literary criticism theory, interpretation, pedagogy. Feminist theories for dramatic criticism provides a number of useful approaches for analyzing works for the stage from a feminist perspective. Feminist literary criticism feminist literary criticism is a product of the feminist movement of the 1960s. Feminist approaches to literature great writers inspire. Shaped against her grain by a tradition that has left her true identity out of account, she must articulate her very grievances in a language created by her oppressor. Elaine showaiter, editor the new feminist criticism.
The cambridge companion to feminist literary theory feminism has dramatically in. Feminist literary criticism friedans focus according to friedan, women have been encouraged to confine themselves to the narrow. Can anyone recommend introductory material on literary theory and. Like feminism itself, feminist literary theory asks us to consider the relationships between men and women and their relative roles in society. Feminist literary criticism also known as feminist criticism is the literary analysis that arises from the viewpoint of feminism, feminist theory, andor feminist politics. Much feminist literary theory reminds us that the relationship between men and women in society is often unequal and reflects a particular patriarchal ideology. Mar 07, 2019 chaos theory, complexity theory and literary criticism. History launched in the twentieth century with virginia woolfs a room of ones own 1929 1969 kate millett examined how women are represented in text by famous men in sexual politics. Feminist literary criticism is literary criticism informed. It follows the survey approach, discussing english literary critics in a historicalchronological order. The resources can also be found via the feminist approaches to literature start page. Third wave feminism and feminist literary criticism is concerned more with the intersection of race and other feminist concerns. Rowlings novels also attracted the attention of the feminist literary criticism. Key concepts queer theory heterosexual matrix performativity.
Application of literary theory in teaching literaturea. Feminist literary theory has deliberately transgressed traditional boundaries between literature, philosophy, and the social sciences in order to. Black feminisms by nasrullah mambrol on december 16, 2017 0. With selections by more than 100 writers and scholars, the reader is an ideal companion for literature surveys where. Black feminists in both the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries argued that the intersection of race, class, and gender in their lives, commonly referred to as the double bind, inevitably shape the political and. Apr 07, 2015 in concern to literature, this movement has concentrated on the role played by literature to support gender discrimination as well as to oppose it. Each chapter outlines key feminist theories in a specific field, covering literary criticisms, anthropology, psychology, and film, and then applies these theories in a detailed criticism of one or two plays. And beyond the realm of the personal, feminist theory has literally opened up a whole new world of reading.
This research guide will assist you in finding sources for feminist literary criticism. The importance of models in the artists life alice walker 30 title essay in search of our mothers gardens alice walker 33 feminist practice and poststructuralist theory chris weedon 36. Gilbert and susan gubars newest collaboration, feminist literary theory and criticism. Literary theory and schools of criticism purdue writing lab. It also may trace the history of relatively unknown or undervalued women writers, potentially earning them their rightful place within the literary canon, and helps create a climate in which. Ecofeminism is a practical movement for social change that discerns interconnections among all forms of oppression. Literary theory in a strict sense is the systematic study of the nature of literature and of the. What are some main concerns of feminist literary theory and. As an oppressed group, women have been unable to achieve their potential, receive rewards, or gain full participation in society. The practical application of these theories emerges in literary criticism, where we make concrete arguments often supported by close readings of textual details. There is no original or primary gender a drag imitates, but gender is a kind of. Gynocriticism a brief note literary theory and criticism. An attempt to trace the meanings that surround and inform this term involves an engagement with its geographical, cultural and political indeterminacies, with its reliance on context and time.
472 1279 104 1036 1295 53 1419 229 924 1100 1183 1445 1367 683 1173 1084 599 632 7 1398 1662 703 432 1455 1635 457 899 1577 355 534 1571 1423 616 1499 1508 1577 1505 1591 9 980 1065 1255 644 73 907 132 244