Feminist Criticism ENG 4U

Feminism The theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.

Feminist Criticism Examines ways in which literature reinforces or undermines the oppression of women. Economically Socially Politically Psychologically

Traditional Gender Roles Patriarchy Any culture that privileges men by promoting traditional gender roles.

Traditional Gender Roles Men Rational Strong Protective Decisive Women Emotional (irrational) Weak Nurturing Submissive

Traditional gender roles have been used successfully to justify inequities such as excluding women from equal access to leadership and decision-making positions and paying men higher wages than women for doing the same job.

Patriarchy is by definition sexist It promotes the belief that women are innately inferior to men “head of the tribe or family”

SEX: biological constitution as female or male GENDER: our cultural programming as feminine or masculine

The inferior position long occupied by women in a patriarchal society has been culturally, not biologically, produced.

Patriarchy continually exerts forces that undermine women’s self-confidence and assertiveness, then points to the absence of these qualities as proof that women are naturally self-effacing and submissive. Example: girls and math

Patriarchal gender roles are destructive for men as well as women. Traditional gender roles dictate that men are supposed to be strong: Physically powerful Emotionally stoic Men are not supposed to cry (considered a sign of weakness) Unmanly to show fear or pain Shouldn’t express sympathy for other men

In a patriarchy, everything that concerns men usually implies something (usually negative) about women. All behaviors forbidden to men are considered “womanish” (inferior, beneath dignity of manhood) Men/boys who cry labeled as “sissies” (cowardly, feminine)

One of the most devastating verbal attacks for a man to be subjected to is to be compared to a woman. REAL MAN – requires that one hold feminine qualities in contempt Homosexuality is included in list of “feminine” behaviors American stereotype of typical male homosexual is effeminate (extremely feminine characteristics)

Whenever a patriarchy wants to undermine a behavior, it portrays that behavior as feminine.

Arguments Against Feminist Premises Western society has actually been structured to protect women from the brutalities of war and commerce, allowing them to be nurturers, mothers, and homemakers. Rather than exploiting or suppressing women, it actually celebrates and cherishes them.

Counter Argument by Feminists Assumes suppression and exclusion. If a woman is put on a pedestal, she can’t do much of anything up there. Assumes women are weaker sex, needing protection. Assumes women are unable to compete with men. Disallows for the fact that some women are physically and mentally stronger than some men.

Goal of Feminism Therefore, feminism’s goal is to change these degrading views of women so that all women will realize they are not a “nonsignificant Other” and will realize that each woman is a valuable person possessing the same privileges and rights as every man.

Historical Roots of Feminism According to feminist criticism, the roots of prejudice against women have long been embedded in Western culture. Some say it originated with biblical narrative where the fall of man is blamed on Eve, not Adam.

Historical Roots of Feminism According to feminist criticism, the roots of prejudice against women have long been embedded in Western culture. Ancient Greeks (Aristotle) ”The man is by nature superior, and the female inferior; and the one rules and the other is ruled.”

Roots of Feminism According to feminist criticism, the roots of prejudice against women have long been embedded in Western culture. Darwin (The Descent of Man – 1871) “women are of a characteristic of … a past and lower state of civilization.” Are inferior to men, who are physically, intellectually, and artistically superior

Roots of Feminism Not until the early 1900s (Progressive Era) that the major roots of feminist criticism began to grow. Women gained the right to vote Women became prominent activists in the social issues of the day Health care Education Politics literature

History of Feminist Criticism Virginia Woolf A Room of One’s Own (1919) Declares men have and continue to treat women as inferiors. The male defines what is means to be female and controls the political, economic, social and literary structures.

History of Feminist Criticism Simone de Beauvior The Second Sex (1949) “foundational work of 20 th century feminism” Declares that French society (and Western societies in general) are PATRIARCHAL, controlled by males. Like Woolf, believed that the male defines what it means to be human, including, therefore, what it means to be female. Since the female is not the male, she becomes the Other, finding herself a nonexistent player in the major social institutions of her culture Church Government Educational systems

History of Feminist Criticism Simone de Beauvior The Second Sex (1949) Woman must break the bonds of her patriarchal society and define herself if she wishes to become a significant human being in her own right and defy male classification as the Other. Must ask herself, “What is a woman?” Answer must not be “mankind” (generic label allows men to define women as relative to him, not as herself.)

History of Feminist Criticism Feminism in 1960s and 1970s Feminist critics began to examine the traditional literary canon Discovered examples that supported assertions of Beauvoir and Millet that males considered the female “the Other” male dominance and prejudice

Feminist Criticism Asserts that most of our literature presents a masculine-patriarchal view in which the role of women is negated or at best minimized.

Questions for Analysis Is the author male or female? Is the text narrated by a male or female? 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 characters? What is the author’s attitude toward women in society? How does the author’s culture influence his or her attitude? Is feminine imagery used? If so, what is the significance of such imagery? Do the female characters speak differently than do the male characters? In your investigation, compare the frequency of speech for the male characters to the frequency of speech for the female characters.