Feminist Literary Criticism By Joanne Rowling

There are many female writers, some known better than other. Female writes most of the time focused their stories in experiences or personal point of view on what is going on around them. Other women write fiction of unusual worlds and character that people can relate to with the struggle or experiences. Margaret Atwood the “Canadian nationalist poetess is a prominebt figure concerned with the need for a new language to explore relations between subjects and society“ (Omid, Pyeaam 1). Atwood wrote her first novel called, “The Edible Woman”; this first novel categorized her as feminist, based on the main character of a strong woman. In an interview with Emma Brockes, Atwood affirms, "First of all, what is feminism? Second, which branch of

The American literary canon presents a one sided view of women, due to the dominance of male authors. Classic American books generally present images of women in a male-centered viewpoint, creating a biased representation of women in literature. In “Feminist Literary Criticism: From Anti-Patriarchy to Decadence,” Anne Barbeau Gardiner states that the American literary canon is “strikingly narrow…prepared by white men whose judgment was prejudiced and whose language was full of gendered meanings.” (Gardiner 395). Gardiner

Throughout American Literature, women have been depicted in many different ways. The portrayal of women in American Literature is often influenced by an author's personal experience or a frequent societal stereotype of women and their position. Often times, male authors interpret society’s views of women in a completely different nature than a female author would. While F. Scott Fitzgerald may represent his main female character as a victim in the 1920’s, Zora Neale Hurston portrays hers as a strong, free-spirited, and independent woman only a decade later in the 1930’s.

Analyzing the ways in which a piece of literature includes feminist ideologies can bring out the potential messages that the creators of these productions were attempting to portray, while allowing the reader to critique the literature from a feminist perspective.

When on the topic of feminist writing, understanding the time period in which the author’s writing takes place persists as vastly important. Historically speaking, western culture follows a model thoroughly dominated by men. That commonality remains

Literature reflects many aspects of human ideas, beliefs, and societies. It does not only enlighten readers, but it broadens their perspective by exposing them to large human questions that have troubled humanity for centuries. The readings exposed complex topics such as feminism during the 19th century and how women carry the same stigma until today. The Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen and The Yellow Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman made me think about my place in the world as a woman, and the significance of the movement to end sexist oppression. Literature gives the reader a chance to inhabit characters and make them feel connected to the author and the author’s work.

A woman's role in society is ever-changing. For many year's women were subjected to strict societal norms, ideals and were defined by the male figures in their lives. Gender roles and relations still make themselves apparent in society's perpetuating inequality, whether through traditional beliefs adapted over the years or societal norms embedded into all aspects of life, including literature. As time passes, women have striven to set their own standards and are now able to stand unapologetically tall in society. Many different factors have aided in allowing women to rebel and evolve against conformity, one significant element being literature. More specifically, literature that breaks barriers for women in allowing their portrayal to defy degrading roles and literature that brings the expectations of women in society to light.

In support of this thesis, I have been analysing feminist theories and the genre of gender in a literary

Accompanying the second wave of feminism in the 1960s and 1970s, was a surge of feminist literary critics. Writing had always been a male-dominated field in which women were expected to either not join or to write like a man. The new wave of feminism encouraged authors to display the inequality and discrimination faced by women, both in literary works and in society as a whole, as well as write in traditionally feminine ways. These empowered authors had an effect that could not be confined to the pages of their work causing women to reflect on their position in the world and inspiring them to stand up against what they did not like in their lives. The landscape of literature also changed drastically as the work of women gained greater prominence, though it was not

Men and Women have many different life experiences that allow their literature to be different from each other. Gender plays a really important role in society. From the day we are born, we are instantly given a blue blanket if we are a boy or a pink blanket if one is a girl. In society, we are told that we can be whoever we want to be, but many people especially women are criticized if they want to endure a path that is similar to a male. In literature, authors are able to express from their real life experiences and have that help them create stories. Many women authors write from the viewpoint of how men have power and are generally categorized as feminist. Male authorities may not want to lower their role as a man and relate to women because they do not feel like they are being “real” or “powerful”. Everyone views things differently and literature is a very good way to pick apart how females and males think similarly and different to one another. Although Feminism and Gender Roles have changed and men and women are more equal, by taking a look at the play “Poof!” by Nottage and article studies on these criticism one can see how they are still present in today’s society from the past.

Feminine ideas and characters are repressed by a more dominant masculine presence. The aim of feminist criticism is to explore this repression, analyze how feminine aspects are portrayed, and expose sexism and female oppression in all types of texts. Feminist critics look to rediscover works of female writers that have been overshadowed by masculine culture. They also educate the population about the equality or

However Bennet and Royle contend that there is ‘no such thing as a feminist…or a sexist work in itself: it all depends on how it is read’. Taking this into account it is arguably an outlet to restructure the reader’s stereotyping, the high regards as well as the norms, historically associated with Women in myths and tales of this kind that Bennet and Royle claim

Analyzing a work of literature through the eyes of a feminist critique means to analyze how the female characters in works of literature, primarily written by males in male-dominated societies, behave. When making such an analysis, one attempts to see how women are oppressed, be it economically, psychologically, or politically. The belief that underlies this criticism is that Western civilization is inherently patriarchal and women are defined not by their inherent worth, but by the women’s difference from what the males of that day deemed normal. The end goal of this analysis of the great works of literature that influence Western civilization is to change the way people see the world and to question preconceived notions people have about

Feminist Criticism is described as literary criticism to presents different perspectives on how literature discusses issues of gender, focusing on education, financial and social difference in a male dominated society. Critics revolve around power relation between the two genders. They also review how females are represented in different texts and literature and how such representation is sufficient. In addition, feminist critics in politics present literature that seeks to raise consciousness about the important role of women and highlight how language is misused to marginalize women. Influential figures of this form of criticism are George Eliot and Margaret Fuller. They are two who mainly came up with the idea of Feminist Criticism and the basic principles followed by others today. Some famous authors who wrote through the lens of Feminist Criticism are Ellen Moers, Alice Walker, and Tillie Olsen... These writer’s focus on inequality between women and men. Many stories have been written using this thought process as the catalysts for the work.

Little Women in 1868 is considered by many critics as a gender specific piece of fiction, written by an American nineteenth century novelist, Louisa May Alcott. "She's best known as the intrepid author of Little Women, a Yankee woman who drew on her life experiences to create one of literature's gutsiest and most lovable heroines, Jo March" (Blakemore, 2016). As the author was commissioned to write the story for girls, thus the text had to be instructive. On the surface level, the novel trains young girls the proper methods and norms to reach adulthood safely. However, on the rise of feminism, critics reevaluate it in the light of the feminist perspective. They discover that little women are subversive text that explores the dilemma of the individual during the nineteenth century whether man or woman. Alcott who was considered in the nineteenth century as a writer, who called both her characters and readers to submit to the social as well as cultural norms, is the seen by the twentieth century critics as subversive writer. This essay discusses Alcott's novel Little Women and analyzes the writer's attitude whether she has feminist agenda, or she defends all individuals' rights.