A Marxist And Feminist Literary Criticism

A Marxist And Feminist Literary Criticism
A Marxist and Feminist Literary Criticism Being a single woman with a family to support in the
1930's was not an easy job. Especially when society had so many chips stacked against them. Tillie
Olsen's "I stand Here Ironing" is a short story that addresses feminine social disorders and
inequalities as well as economic disadvantages that people of lower circumstances have to overcome
to survive. In the short story it is basically an autobiography of Tillie Olsen's life told by the narrator
(Emily's mother). Throughout the story the narrator is reflecting the way she brought up her
daughter during a depression and feminist era. She feels very regretful reflecting 19 years late
because of the decisions she was forced to make because of the absence of Emily's father. This story
can be seen in a feminist perspective as well as a Marxist perspective; even though they are very
different from one another both perspectives help interpret Tillie Olsen's short story. The Marxist
perspective helps illuminate Tillie Olsen's "I stand Here Ironing" when the narrator explains how the
capital system negatively affected Emily and her Family. In a feminist perspective the narrator
describes her different encounters with men that abandoned her; causing her to have to take on a
male dominated role. Because of the societal characteristic she had to take on it caused her to turn
away from her daughter in order to survive. Tillie Olsen the author of "I stand Here Ironing" was a
feminist who
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`` The Yellow Wallpaper `` And Feminist Criticism
Hillary Rodham Clinton was a presidential nominee in the 2016 election, and often was under sexist
attacks, including examples as insignificant as being mocked for having a common cold, to the most
primal, blatant, and explicit sexism, typically from Republicans. Much of this sexism came about
out of fear, as Clinton would have been the United State's first female president. She faced the
patriarchy head–on, yet gender roles enforced by patriarchal ideals held her back, as she lost the
presidential election to Donald Trump. The demise of Clinton's presidency due to patriarchy and
gender roles, and the underlying concept of women being inferior due to these maladies, is not a
foreign or new concept. "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In her entries, Jane often fixates on the yellow wallpaper in her room, citing its characteristics.
Towards the latter half of the entries, Jane begins to descend into insanity through her
personification of the wall. In discussing the pattern, she notes that it "does move– and no wonder!
The woman behind it shakes it!" (Gilman). The yellow wallpaper is a symbol of the patriarchy that
blocks the truth of women, therefore the woman that is shaking the wall in her account is
womankind shaking the patriarchy. By blocking truth, the patriarchy manipulates womankind into
being submissive. Thus, Gilman intends to support the notion that the only way to liberate
womankind is to break the patriarchy. In "Feminist Criticism", author Lois Tyson makes similar
notions about such patriarchal forces. She writes that "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, and therefore correctly, self–effacing and submissive" (Tyson).
Patriarchy enforces the idea that women are submissive by undermining their self–confidence,
similar to how Jane's mental health and patriarchal influences in her life lower her self–confidence.
Patriarchal ideals in "Story of an Hour" enforce the inferiority of women, and breaking the
patriarchy liberates womankind. Kate Chopin sheds light on the deadly results that patriarchy can
bring. From the

Socialist Feminist Criticism
Socialist Feminist Criticism: You Dropped the Bomb on Me, Baby
Feminism and gender studies have been described as having the ability to "challenge literary and
culture theory to confront the difficult task of assimilating the findings of an expanding sphere of
inquiry" (Contemporary Literary Criticism 567). This area of study has taken center stage during the
last fifty years, not only in our society, but also in literary criticism. Although the terrain Feminism
traverses can hardly be narrowed down to one single definition, the exploration of the genre can, at
times, be the most intriguing feature of the criticism itself. While feminism has undoubtedly
changed the way women and gender roles are considered in society today, it has ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
This definition of feminism situates sex and gender alongside the subjects of focus of the Marxist
theory, even going as far as to intertwine the two. While I, myself, have been trying to determine
how much I agree with the points that each individual theory makes, I have found that Socialist
Feminist Criticism has had the greatest impact on my writing, reading, and understanding of the
world.
It has been noted that "in literature the languages of class, race, and gender are fused." This,
throughout history, and in our society specifically, is true. Every role that is developed in literature is
"not natural or self–evident but is always articulated within a system or relationships predicated
upon exclusions of gender, race, and class" (CLC 592). Every character is described within a system
of a culture that is based on stereotypes, specific gender roles, and societal issues. Cora Kaplan
makes her most significant point when she suggests that "We must redefine the psyche as a
structure, not as a content, so that we can move toward a fuller understanding of how social
divisions and the inscription of gender are mutually secured and given meaning. Through that
analysis we can work towards change" (Kaplan 609). An understanding of the issues that Socialist
Feminist criticism tackles can help a reader determine why the literature they are

Feminist Criticism In Frankenstein
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a well known gothic novel that ties in many romantic characteristics.
In the eighteenth century, Sigmund Freud introduced psychoanalytic theory as a major component of
literary criticism. After analysing Frankenstein, the Genesis story, and "The Creation of Man by
Prometheus," scholars note similarities in Feminist criticism and forbidden knowledge. In Mary
Shelley's Frankenstein, the reader is able to analyse her works from a feminist viewpoint. During the
time period that Frankenstein was written, women had a lesser role in society. They did not have the
same educational, social, or political opportunities that men had. This split in genders also applied to
opinions, generally when women had an opinion they kept it to themselves. In Frankenstein, this is
seen in the deaths of the female characters. Victor's mother is an example of this, she is silenced
early in the story when she dies of scarlet fever. Even though this was an important event in Victor's
life it is only briefly mentioned. In fact, Caroline (the name Victor's of Mother) is only mentioned
once or twice throughout the entire book. This is a subtle yet key detail in the story. The lack of
mentioning her name makes her seem, in the reader's eye, a less important character. Her counterpart
Alphonse Frankenstein (Victor's father) is mentioned significantly more. This is important to note
because of his status as a male character. Alphonse is a key part of the plot leading up to

Feminist Criticism Of Persepolis
Feminist Criticism in Persepolis
Throughout Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, she attempted to clarify the impulsive, stereotypical
misinterpretations the western world placed on the Iranian comportment and political tendency of
the people (www.bartleby.com ). She was infuriated by the generalizations and passionate about
explicating the adequate condition (NY Film Festival Press Conference). By creating a book that
illustrates her childlike perspective of the repressist world around her, Satrapi gave leeway to an
unfiltered and innocent notion of the cultural structure that was occupying in Iran. While trying to
elucidate the misconception of the idea that Iran is "more than a nation founded by fundamentalists
and home to terrorists and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the story, we see Marjane unconsciously reframe the world as she knows it and instinctively
idealize her capabilities. On page 6, she speaks upon her belief in that she is the last prophet. In an
area where men are the only ones to have taken role, she visualized herself doing the job. On the
fifth panel on page 6, it is clear that she is aware of the inclination.The panel shows Marjane, as a
child, announcing that she is the last prophet to the preceding prophets. Interestingly enough, the
prophets question her gender rather than her age or religious devotion. Additionally, we can see
Marjane as an example of virtuous confidence. As a child she believes she is capable of anything,
but as she grows, societal pressure induces systemic doubt in her capabilities and limitations in her
abilities.
The idea of the veil is subjective through religion. To people outside of the Muslim church, the veil
is portrayed as a representation of sexist oppression to belittle women. This is just one of the aspects
of a cultural structure that has evolved with males continuously being predominantly authoritative.
We see a rigged arrangement where women are visualized with certain presumed characteristics.
The veil for example, is part of the fixed wardrobe women are expected to wear. This is viewed as
the "correct" way a woman should compose herself. The objectified conduct and expression of
women are perceived as degrading in the feminist

Literary Criticism Of Feminist Criticism
Task 2 – Literary Criticism
A. Summary of Literary Criticism: Feminist criticism is a literary criticism that is grounded upon the
feminist theory, or by the politics of feminism. This analysis can be applied through feminist
principles and gender equality to critique the language and structure of literature. Basic methods of
feminist criticism include identifying with female characters and reevaluating the world in which
literary works are read.
B. Answers to bulleted questions:
How is the relationship between men and women portrayed?
Both men and women in Brave New World have very different roles in society. The novel clearly
shows that men are superior in all areas of life, such as work positions and the way they act.
However, women maintain a higher standing in social situations. Males are leaders of the World
State whereas females are treated as sex objects.
What are the power relationships between men and women (or characters assuming male/female
roles)?
In the workplace, men are represented as physically and mentally superior to women. This
dominance is shown at the very beginning of the novel when all the students touring the Hatchery
are males. The high positions in the World State are also held by men. Bernard and Helmholtz are
the leaders of propaganda, Henry and the Director control the hatchery, and Mustapha Mond is¬
mainly in charge of the government.
How are male and female roles defined?
The women in Brave New World are not seen as a fundamental part

Introduction Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is often
credited as the first science–fiction novel, with many film and textual adaptations. Over the years,
horror movies have taken to using the novel to comment on the fallacies in scientific study and the
tempering of nature's ways. However, it would be erroneous to exclude the feminist narrative, as
Shelley's mother wrote one of the leading modern feminist texts, A Vindication of the Rights of
Woman. This book, along with other feminist literature, was read by Shelley, and outlined that
women only appear inferior to men because they lack an equal, formal education. Wollstonecraft
advocated for a new social order based on equality and logic between men and women. These ideas
can be seen in Shelley's novel using the vehicle of a critique of masculine–focused science to
provide a commentary on how society treated, and continues to treat, women as the inferior sex.
Many feminist critics have analyzed and written essays over the topic of feminist influence both in
Shelley's life and her novel. Some such areas of interest include the scientific treatment of nature,
the role of women in childcare and upbringing, and the isolation created by the pursuit of
masculinity. Shelley's life itself is also pertinent to the discussion of influence, as critics again have
analyzed the influence of her biographical experiences. A main point made is that the characteristics
of the male figures in her

Feminist Criticism Of Wonder Woman
Feminist criticism is concerned with the way literature and the role of film and media reinforce the
economic, social and psychological oppression of women. Feminist criticism is now categorized
according to whether the role of "woman" is the major focus, or if gender identity is. One of the
oldest, most popular heroes has received little to no media attention since the 70's. One of the most
prominent female comic book characters, the one most closely tied to the feminist movement, is, of
course, Wonder Woman. A character with comparable recognition to Superman and Batman yet
lacks the same level of exposure that they get. As long as the feminine standard lacks force, strength,
and power, girls won't want to be just girls. They don't want to be the stereotypical tender,
submissive, peace–loving women that are portrayed by the media. Strong qualities in women have
become despised due to their weakness. The obvious remedy was to create a feminine character with
all the strength of previous superheroes such as Superman and Batman, along with all the allure of a
good and beautiful woman. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As stated by Mr. Marston, Wonder Woman was developed as a "psychological propaganda for the
new type of woman, who should rule the world." (Marston) Her depiction as a heroine fighting for
justice, peace and sexual equality has led her to be considered a feminist icon. Wonder Woman was
originally born as Princess Diana in an Amazon community raised entirely by women. She was sent
as an ambassador to the world of men, spreading their idealistic message of love and strength. She
fights crime and acts a powerful and positive role model for women

Feminist Criticism Of The Bloody Chamber
2. Feminist Criticism and Angela Carter
In order to better understand the scope of this theses, this chapter introduces the literary criticism
that is used to explain the position of women in a short story collection The Bloody Chamber by
Angela Carter through the notion of cannibalism. In her short story collection, Carter deals with
issues that concern feminism as the movement, and women as the part of the society. In order to
understand Angela Carters' short story collection and the way women are represented and treated in
The Bloody Chamber, this thesis uses feminist literary criticism that is explained in the following
paragraphs. According to Louis Tyson feminist criticism "examines the ways in which literature
(and other cultural ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She is not afraid of telling her audience that women are not fairy tale princesses and that life does
not have a happy ending. She is one of the most appreciated British female writers, well known for
her eccentric writing. She explores themes of incest, sexuality, and femininity in her novels and
short stories. Some of her well–known works other than The Bloody Chamber include Shadow
Dance (1966), The Magic Toyshop (1967), The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman
(1972), and many others (Gordon, 2016). Angela Carters' writings are a magical twist on fairy tales,
novels, and non–fiction works. She tries to give her readers the possibility to become explorers and
find a solution to the problem, or simply come to the conclusion themselves rather than being led by
the author. Carter enjoys playing games with her readers and she admits that in an interview with
Anna Katsavos where she stated that she is playing games with readers constantly: "I was reading
"The Company of Wolves" the other day, and there are a whole lot of verbal games in that that I
really enjoy doing, 'the deer departed' for example (A Conversation with Angela Carter)." Her
writing is extraordinary and rereading her novels or short stories is another experience for a reader
because of wordplay and different images she uses so that the reader can always apprehend
something

The Little Mermaid Feminist Criticism
Hans Christian Andersen's story, "The Little Mermaid" talks about a girl who saves a young man
from drowning and falls in love with him, and she later learns that the young man she saved was a
prince. In this world women believe that they are not capable of doing nothing or being nothing
without a man in their lives. Disney's film, "The Little Mermaid", by Ron Clements and John
Musker, present a version that makes an appearance for children, so it is harder to catch on where a
woman needs a man in her life whether it is her father or a husband. In the Disney film the director
makes the mermaid (Ariel) look so vulnerable and weak for a young woman. Women now these
days say that they were made to believe that they have to depend on a man because they will not
make it without them. In the story the author made it seem like all women cannot do want they want
or that they are limited to do and say certain things because they are women. Women grow up to
believe and to think that they need a man because that is how many men and society made women
and young girls look like. So, part of this faulting it the men because they beliefs are that women
cannot do what they do or that women and young girls belong at home to behave right and look
pretty for the men. Andersen is a good example of Feminist and Gender criticism because women
should believe that they can make it without having to rely on a man. Women should start believing
that they are as equal as a man whether it's at a job, relationship, at home, and in society because we
are not meant to be looked at as a fragile and weak woman, we are supposed to show everyone that
women should be equal to men on all types of levels. Andersen examines representation of gender,
dependence, and cultural stability to explore notions of equality in gender. Andersen examines
representation of gender because both men and women need to be looked upon as equals with one
another. For example, there are many times when a women needs help and most men think that she
is a "damsel in distress", because a woman that needs saving looks fragile and needs a "man" to save
her. This also shows that usually the women are the ones being saved, so that the men can be the
ones doing

Feminist Media Criticism
Feminist Media Criticism: She's the Man
Media affects how we shape the way we view and understand the gender constructs. It gives us an
outlet that we are surrounded with during our everyday lives. Whether, it is on film, in a song, or
through the radio. They are all able to construct this mold of what society wants us to believe about
gender. You will notice things like ads directly targeted certain genders, and in movies girls being
unable to do what men can, men needing to be a hero, women looking for the affection of a man, or
even the girl needing to be saved by the male character. A way to view media's use of normalized
gender roles is through Feminist media criticism. The piece of media I wanted to take a look at a
movie that I had grown up watching called She's the Man. A movie about a girl named Viola who's
High School women's soccer team gets cut and she was not allowed to join the men's because girl's
are not as good as boys. Viola then decides to take her brother's spot at his boarding ... Show more
In that story, it is strongly based on Viola, trying to get to know Duke. As for, She's the Man they
added the spin of her fighting to be better than the boys in soccer. But, both are strongly based
around the main girl character falling for Duke and fighting another girl named Olivia. So, not only
is one of Viola's main goals is to date Duke but she also has to fight another girl for the love of a
man. Throughout the movie you see how strong each Viola and Olivia are but, there characters are
dumbed down to demean each other. So, even after the fact that Viola is fighting the injustice of
being prejudiced based on gender her character is mainly just looking for love with Duke. I feel as if
that undermines the entire purpose of the movie and takes away from the actual

Jane Eyre Feminist Criticism
Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre Through the Feminist Literary Criticism Lens The 1847 novel Jane
Eyre follows the main character throughout her eventful life in Victorian England, allowing readers
to watch the young, unruly orphan flourish into a successful, content woman. On the simplest level,
the work is a classic gothic tale showcasing fear, passion, and love. While it is evident that the story
utilizes emotion, looking deeper into the text is essential to understanding the underlying motive
behind Brontë's decision to include these emotional aspects in the first place. Looking through the
feminist lens of literary criticism, Jane Eyre not only highlights the oppression of women during the
time, but specifically focuses on the part that emotion plays in female mistreatment. Shannon
O'Byrne, author of "Law and Emotion in Brontë's Jane Eyre", claims that the work exposes the
association of women with hysteria during the Victorian era, and is correct in her analysis of the
feminist message within the novel as shown through the main female character's, Jane and Bertha's,
passionate acts and their outcomes. The belief that women are mentally inferior to men is not a new
concept. Since ancient times, "reason, masculinity, truth and intellect" has been placed above "sense,
femininity, error and emotion", causing women to rarely be taken seriously (O'Byrne 31). Despite
the hundreds of years and advancements between then and the mid–nineteenth century, this concept
was still widely accepted. During the Enlightenment movement, which women were largely
excluded from because of their supposed "lack of reason", nerve doctors claimed that women were
extremely susceptible to hysteria because of their innate emotional instability (O'Byrne 34). This
idea spread widely by "scientifically" justifying the gender inequality during the time. With the
female's supposed inherent connection to madness and hysteria being a popular idea in the Victorian
years, it is not surprising that it found its way into the era's literature. As O'Byrne stated in her work,
the novel directly reflects what emotion meant to Brontë's society: a "loss of reason" (O'Byrne 25).
The emergence of the scientific method during this time meant Victorians

The Feminist Criticism Of ' Antigone ' Essay
Student's Name Tutor's Name Course Code Date Sophocles "Antigone" The feminist criticism
approach evaluates how sexual identity impacts the creation and perception of literary pieces of art.
It was originally an offshoot of the feminist movements but has currently employed certain
approaches, such as the Masculinity approach, which is advocated by Robert Bly. Feminist criticism
takes a primary role in articulating the patriarchal perceptions that have dominated the Western
thought. The perceptions have consciously or unconsciously resulted in literature which is full of
raw male–advocated assumptions. The current analysis aims at providing a feminist criticism of
Sophocles "Antigone", with an objective to achieve an informed position. One of the major conflicts
in the "Antigone" is the struggle between the males and the females. It is explicit that the two
genders are involved in deliberate efforts for dominance. In addition, it is evident that the perception
that men were meant to dominate the women is paramount. For example, Ismene tells Antigone that
even from birth the females "were not born to contend with men" (75), which depicts the women 's
subordinate positions in their interactions with the men. Besides, the phrase describes women
obedience and their passive nature in the confrontation of the day–to–day activities in the society.
The women are displayed as beings whose role is to observe and to have little control over the
unfolding events at a given time. Within

Cixous's The Laugh of the Medusa Against Showalter's...
Cixous's The Laugh of the Medusa Critiqued Against Showalter's Essay Feminist Criticism in the
Wilderness
In learning about feminist theory this semester, one idea that arose from class discussions was the
notion of essentialism. Essentialism, a theory that stresses essence as opposed to existence, was
discussed at length and while some classmates found it to reductionary and cliché, it is a
question that I assume must be asked of ecriture feminine writing. Does ecriture feminine writing
essentialize women? If it does, is essentializing women problematic?
One critique of ecriture feminine by the feminist critique and gynocricitics is that the ... Show more
These two oppositional positions cause much argument within feminist theory. Feminist critique
sees

Feminist Criticism Of 'The Wizard Of Oz'
The Wizard of Oz is a movie beloved by many. It was a major part of many people's childhood, with
lovable but very one dimensional protagonists, and a villain who is evil just for the sake of being
evil. Even with this in mind it has still stood the test of time, still being revered as a classic that
defined a generation and even created an archetype in itself. But mainly because of the time it was
created in it has many sexist undertones. This has attracted many feminist criticisms. One of the
main criticism is the character of Dorothy she falls into many female cliches. Very little of her
personality is shown, throughout the movie she is shown as scared, weak, and lossed. she is a
constant "damsel in distress". She is constantly shown as frightened and seeking the help of a man.
The only reason she defeated the witch was by accident, throughout the fight she is shown cowering
behind the three men and only splashed the witch with water because she was trying to put out the
fire on scarecrows arm. She also asked the Scarecrow to safely guide her to Oz, this tying in the the
whole idea of the frightened and weak lost girl. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This is later shown to be false when it is discovered that Oz is a fraud and he was just a trickster, but
all of Oz still assumed that this male witch must be great and powerful. while this is more of a
strange idea in current times, in 1939 this idea would have been commonplace, and the reveal of OZ
being a fake would have been much more

Feminist Criticism By Lois Tyson
It is difficult to imagine living in a world without the patriarchal roles that are present in society and
have been throughout history. In the article "Feminist Criticism," by Lois Tyson, the idea of
feminism and how society has affected feminism is the focus. These ideas are seen because men
have more of a voice in nearly everything and the oppression of women is very common; a society
set up like this can be described with the term patriarchy which is "any culture that privileges men
by promoting traditional gender roles," where men are cast as "rational, strong, protective, and
decisive," and women are cast "as emotional, weak, nurturing, and submissive" (Tyson, 1). This
thought that men are strong and women weak is not uncommon in ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Daisy Miller is breaking these social norms by constantly associating with different men, drawing
the attention of many others and Connie expresses her sexuality by abandoning her friends to spend
time with a boy in his car; this ultimately leads to society's metaphorical murder of these women.
Daisy is an American teen who is traveling Europe and spends lots of time with men in an 1800s
European society that frowns upon these actions and ultimately punishes her for them. Winterbourne
is a man who is infatuated with Daisy due to her beauty and although he knows it isn't proper to
interact with Daisy without a chaperone present, he talks to her anyways and "was ceasing to be
embarrassed, for he had begun to perceive that she was not in the least embarrassed herself. There
had not been the slightest alteration in her charming complexion; she was evidently neither offended
neither fluttered" (James, 6). The first time that Winterbourne has a conversation with Daisy he had
expected it to be under the supervision of another person. Because Daisy is not used to having to do
this she isn't phased and continues the conversation with Winterbourne. This doesn't make
Winterbourne mad, but instead makes him more attracted to Daisy. As he talks to Daisy he doesn't
have to think of any problems it could cause for him

Feminist Criticism In The Thirteenth Night
Feminist criticism, a "direct product of the 'women's movement' of the 1960s", is a broad school of
theory that examines the representations of women in literature as well as the socially constructed
concept of femininity (Barry, 2009, p.116). Besides challenging the previously–unquestioned
'naturalness' of gender roles in society, feminist criticism is also concerned with female experiences
of oppression, and seeks to expose "how aspects of our culture are inherently patriarchal" (Purdue
University, 2010). In addition, feminist criticism raises the question of whether or not an inherently
female language exists, and aims to change the traditional literary canon that previously
marginalized women writers.
Written in the early years of Meiji ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Oseki's identity is defined by her social roles in relation to male figures, in line with the Confucian
concept of 'Three Obediences' – a daughter to her father, wife to her husband, and mother to her son.
Winston argues that "she exists in an inchoate body, for she is neither her own person nor a corpse";
her true 'self' exists acceptably only within the cracks of her fragmented identity, and she struggles
to suppress her desire for agency (Winston, 2004, p.10). Her attempt to give up her roles as wife and
mother – an attempt to reject the roles dictated by the patriarchy – for example, is deemed as
"selfishness" despite her husband's abuse (Winston, 2004, p.2). Moreover, Oseki's lack of consent to
her marriage to Isamu, in addition to the fact that her attempt to seek divorce cannot be done without
the consent and support of her father, are both clear evidences of how she is commodified within the
patriarchal institutions of family and marriage. When she asserts at the end of Part I that "after
tonight I'll think of myself as completely belonging to Isamu", she emphasizes her own position as
little more than a property and object of exchange between male authoritative

Jane Eyre Feminist Criticism
Jane Eyre Literary Criticism
"Little Girls with dreams become women with vision" (unknown). This quote expresses Jane's entire
life in the novel Jane Eyre written by the author Charlotte Brontë. The main character that is
discussed in this book is Jane Eyre and she is trying to find herself despite being recognized as less
than everyone else solely based on her gender and her poor place in nineteenth–century's social
class. Gender inequality is world wide problem with no end, dating back to the civil rights period to
the present day. Mrs. Reed, John Reed, Mr Brocklehurst and Ms. Blanche Ingram, as well as many
others are a prime example for this issue. For the reason being that they allow others' mainly her son
to not only treat her with disrespect but also torment Jane as well.
The first point to be discussed with feminism in this literature, Brontë portrays Jane Eyre to be a
very subtle Feminist. Jane's approach to feminism is not rebellious or outlandish at all. She lets her
character speak for itself, .due to her harsh living environments she had to take that approach
considering in the nineteenth–century, the quality of life as a women was entirely based on how
beautiful women were and who they were married to. Along with a wealthy economic status, Jane
however, had none of these things going for her. For example she was an orphan in this particular
family named the Reeds, they are a very wealthy family and took her into an extremely toxic
household which was very different to her past living environments, were later on corrupted her in
the future to believe that all women should not be treated equal to but less than when compared to
men. From the disrespect she received from Mrs Reed, and the bullying from her son John she was
always able to stand up for herself no matter how bad or unfairly she was being treated. There were
many instances were Jane was being treated unjustly. Ms. Reed would allow her children and even
the maid of the house be disrespectful to her. Everyday Jane was being being compared to things
like "little toad" (bronte 41). Conveying the message to the reader that just because Jane is not
attractive nor wealthy that she does not deserve to be given the respect someone with those

Feminist Criticism Of Sophocles Antigone
Antigone, written by Sophocles, uses feminist criticism to relay the idea that man cannot surpass the
power of the divine. This technique drives the conflict and major dramatic question in Antigone.
Burial in ancient Greece was scared, and a huge role in Greek morals. To leave a body unburied was
the ultimate crime in the eyes of the people and the gods. When Antigone buries her brother against
Creon's will, she shows her loyalty to the divine and defies Creon. To Creon, this burial is an insult,
but even more so when he finds out the person who buried his opponent of war was a woman. Creon
states his anger and underlying misogyny on lines 759 to 761, " Better to fall from power... at the
hands of a man – never be rated inferior to a woman" (Sophocles).

Halloween: Feminist Criticism In Film
Hi Starr It was nice to read your essay and your thoughts on movies. You mentioned that the
criticism described in movie "Halloween", is feminist criticism, in 300 biographical whereas in
movie frozen is psychoanalytic. I do agree with your points as it shows that women are independent,
strong, and intelligent as in of suppose of being weak, helpless, and naïve. According to critic's point
of view female character in the movie was not mainstream, but instead more intelligent, independent
and spunky which helped movie very interesting. In movie "300" they focused more on characters
and their looks instead of story, critic felt that it is totally unfair for the culture. Use of heavy make–
up, costumes, jewelry and unnecessary screams made it worse.

Feminist Criticism Of Cinderella
Liezle Fiesta
Mrs. Starling
Expository Composition 73078
September 18, 2017
Cinderella
When someone mentions the name "Cinderella", the first thing that usually comes to our minds is
the fairytale in which the fair maiden who works so hard yet it treated so poorly gains her "fairytale
ending" with a wave of a magic wand. However, the fairytale of Cinderella written by the Grimm
Brothers has multiple differences in plot from the fairytale we all usually think of. The plot of the
Cinderella written by the Grimm Brothers, written in 1812, is that a young female's mother passes
away early in the story, departing with the message to Cinderella to remain "pious and good".
Cinderella remained true to this message given to her by her mother, and she showed this in her
work ethic. Because Cinderella had remained pious and good, her mother, in return, watched over
her in the form of the birds above her grave that gave Cinderella help and material things that she
needed. In the end, Cinderella has her "happily ever after", for when the prince held a festival to find
a new bride, she was chosen due to her insurmountable beauty. The feminist lens critiques how
females are commonly represented in texts, and how insufficient these representations are as a
categorizing device. These representations of women often include them being passive and
emotional–staying back while the men do the work. Cinderella relates to the feminist lens because
she fits into the typical representations of women created by men. Feminist criticism is important to
recognize because women are often falsely represented as helpless, thus needing a man to come to
their rescue. It is common in literature to see helpless women, crying and begging for help instead of
being able to work out their own problems and hardships. Others, however, may believe that it is
still important to uphold the fundamentals of the feminist lens because it keeps the man in power,
which they say is important in keeping the man the head of the household. Cinderella thoroughly
represents the feminist lens because it shows how women in literature uphold the representations of
passive and emotional, created by the man. To understand the message of Cinderella clearer, it is

Feminist Literary Criticism In A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen
In the book A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen there was thoughts alluding to the play being based off
of feminism. At the University of Salahaddin two English professors Saman Salah Hassan Balaky
and Nafser Abdul Mosawir Suilaiman wrote an article called, "A Feminist Analysis of Henrik
Ibsen's A Doll's House". They had three points that analyzed about the A Doll House, which were
the Feminist Literary Theory, Ibsen as a feminist, and a feminist analysis of Ibsen's A Doll's House.
The Feminist Literary Theory is what literature persuade women to act like in the 19th century. In A
Doll's House the protagonist, Nora was a seen a child which was naive and who lacked the true
understanding of life outside of her home. In the end she left and strived to be an individual and gain
knowledge and find herself. Most writers in the 19th century were male and stereotyped woman to
be a certain way. Women characters were based off of males own conception of women and who
they were. According to Balaky and Suilaiman, the male writers had a, "tendency to put women in
stock character roles". Which meant that women were stereotyped as , "should be nice and
sympathetic rather than forceful, outspoken, or intellectually vigorous." The nature of Feminist
Literary Theory is that, "must be to break down the public/private split and the binaries of
masculinity/ femininity, mind/body, reason/feeling". In Doll's House that was basically what Nora
was trying to do. She wanted to better herself and she realized her real self–worth in the end.
Balaky and Suilaiman researched if Ibsen was indeed a feminist or not. He never officially admitted
that he was a feminist. Balaky and Suilaiman believe that Ibsen's thoughts were neither political or
feminist, but he was being a normal human with normal concerns. He doesn't have to be a feminist
to defend woman according to Balaky and Suilaiman. A Doll House was one of Ibsen most feminist
play. Balaky and Suilaiman thought that Ibsen, "may not even be concerned about the women's
cause but rather about humans and individualism in general". Many of Ibsen speeches and letters
hinted toward him feeling troubled for "weaker sex". He was known to be the four central male
voices of feminism in his time.

Frankenstein has always been suspected of being subversive in its religious tendency, even when the
precise objectives of its hidden agenda were not clearly discerned. Partly because of the dedication
to Godwin, the novel's earliest readers thought they detected immorality and impiety lurking
somewhere beneath the book's surface, and the notion has persisted that there is something
ambiguous or oblique, even insidious, in the book's metaphysical disposition. The most common
suspicion has been that the novel was meant as a parody of Genesis, mocking traditional belief in a
benevolent Creator (e.g., Walling, p. 42). A quite different suggestion came from Leslie Tannenbaum
in 1977 when he argued that the novel's allusions to Paradise Lost work ironically to point up Victor
Frankenstein's failures as a creator in contrast with Milton's more loving and responsible Divinity.
Tannenbaum's interpretation was part of a general reassessment of the novel's meaning carried out
during the 1970s, principally by feminist and psychoanalytic critics, who found in the novel a subtle
but insistent protest against some ideas and attitudes of the author's father, William Godwin, and of
her husband, Godwin's disciple, Percy Bysshe Shelley. This revisionist reading sees Victor
Frankenstein as a composite of Godwin and Shelley (and perhaps Byron as well), and the monster
–– the novel's most sympathetic character –– as a representation of the author herself, the victim, to
an extent the product, of

Feminist Criticism Of Great Expectations
Feminist Criticism of Great Expectations The correct portrayal of women in literature is highly
significant as women have been marginalized throughout history. Although Charles Dickens wrote
powerful and dominant female characters in his novel Great Expectations, Dickens' portrayal of
female strength is unsympathetic considering the period when he wrote this novel. During the
Victorian Era, women never had dominance in situations and had less rights than men. In this case,
Dickens alienated the female characters by writing them with characteristics that imply a negative
connotation to the readers. Negative characteristics are still important for the development of a
character, of course, but the Dicken's depiction submits that women victimize Pip. The patriarchy
and power in relationships are contrasted by the powerful female characters. Furthermore, the
differences between men and women in Great Expectations are connected to social constructs rather
than biological development. In addition, each female character have a significant impact on the
male protagonist, Pip. Each female character is also shown negatively on how each of them is
"redeemed" as the plot advances. To begin with, the power in the relationships in the novel lean
towards the women. This isn't inherently bad, but considering a few aspects, such as how Dicken's
depiction of the female characters and that he wrote the novel in the Victorian era, this portrayal of
women is misogynistic. For example, Mrs.

Feminist Criticism In A Room Of One's Own
Published in 1929, "A Room of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf is deliberated the earliest major work
in feminist criticism. This work of fiction scrutinizes on women's capability of producing a high–
quality literary work as well as, highlights on the restriction and limitations that female writers
encounter. After deploying a number of fundamental causes on why there has been inadequacy in
the number of female writers, Woolf fixes their minority status mainly to socio–economic factors,
specifically their poverty and lack of privacy. She chants repeatedly throughout the novel that a
woman must have five hundred pounds a year and a room of her own in order to write creatively. "A
Room of One's Own" is an equal depiction on the critique about women ... Show more content on
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Chapter five highlights on Woolf's view about Carmichael as she symbolizes a massive
transformation in the state of writing. She is depicted as an average female writer who writes
without anger or abhorrence and without a stifling awareness of her gender. She voiced out that
sometimes women like women and through this confession, Carmichael proved that the role of men
is no longer necessarily central and, have made it possible that it is not essential for women to be
dependent on men all the time. In the final chapter, the narrator exploits the image of man and
women getting into the cab to symbolize the unity between man and women. Woolf produces that
the ideal state of mind is an androgynous one, she insists that men and woman have a two faced
mind, one with a masculine part and the other one with feminine. She emphasizes that both these
parts of mind must be involved in order to create a lasting literary work. Woolf emphasizes on these
two material possessions, poverty and lack of privacy. She stresses that without these two material
possessions one is unable to have intellectual freedom and without freedom one is unable to produce
a good literary piece. She encourages the readers to be themselves by saying, Judith Shakespeare
still lives within all women, and that if women are provided with wealth and a room of their own in
the next century, she will be reborn. In conclusion, "A Room of One's Own" centers on both the
critique of women as it argues for both the literal and figural space for woman writers who is
dominated by patriarchal system as well as, it is depicted as a source of awareness towards women's
responsibilities and rights as she ended the essay with an exhortation to her audience of women to
take up the tradition that has been so hardly bequeath to

Feminist Criticism Of Disney
Disney is known for playing a large part in the development of children. Children idolize the
company and its characters. And while the children are more than likely unaware of it, Disney helps
to construct a sense of morality, creativity, and imagination. Although these are certainly positive
attributes that build a strong foundation for a child to flourish, there are critics out there who argue
that there are controversial issues buried deep within the films. One of the largest conflicts critics
come across is the portrayal of Disney's villains. From the time Snow White came out in 1937 up
until the release of Frozen in 2013, there had been severe concerns with the representation of
women within the films and even some of the men. In ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Finally, I will address the conflicting view that anti feminism is apparent within Disney's villains.
Particular Disney villains remain shallow and sexist and it is irrefutable.
In discussions of Disney, a highly controversial issue is the portrayal of the villains within the
animated princess films. Specifically, the idea of 'what–is–good–is–beautiful' has been shown to
influence young girls and boys in various studies and it is problematic (Silvestri). With society
evolving and becoming more open to discussing controversial issues, people are more susceptible to
creating their own judgments and critiques. Not only have the movies with female disney villains
been useful in research, but those starring male villains have contributed to the argument as well.
Numerous critics have researched and revealed information about Disney and their villains, both
male and female, that reveals different______
The portrayal of Disney villains reveals stereotypes rooted in society that are caused by lookism
which may persuade children to partake in this type of discrimination. For example, each Disney
villain was created to be unattractive according to society's standards, dictating those who look like
them as immoral people. Today's beauty standards for women consists of things like being young,
thin, having long and flowing hair, and even wearing certain makeup. In

Feminist Criticism Of Lemonade
When bell hooks critiqued Beyoncé late last year, she ignited a firestorm that exposed both the
longstanding generational divides amongst feminists and the liberal embracement of capitalism. Her
essay, which disparaged the visual commodification of black sexuality in Lemonade, alienated the
millennials who extolled Beyoncé for her influential role in the media. Some writers acknowledged
the intellectual and feminist contributions of bell hooks in their defenses of Beyoncé, while others
rejected her criticisms as outdated. Yet central to this debate were the new conceptions of social
justice and activism that underpinned the vocabulary of a younger generation; Janet Mock, for
example, accredited the attacks on Beyoncé to femmephobia and anti–sex respectability politics.
This defense of Beyoncé certainly holds merit, but it fails to identify the more salient aspects of bell
hooks' criticism: the role of capital. However, these economic concerns–which existed long before
Lemonade–mirrored the ideologies of Marxist feminists in the 1960s and 1970s. This contemporary
debate therefore serves as an excellent touchstone for those wishing to understand the historical
fractures of modern feminism. Radical feminists of the modern women's movement, for example,
frequently dismissed mainstream activists for their complicity in an oppressive system of labor that
exploited working women of color. These ruptures stemmed from the race and class consciousness
of radical activists with

Feminist Criticism In Shakespeare's Othello
In the play Othello , Othello strongly represents feminist criticism because he cares so much about
their relationship that he couldn't handle the thought of her cheating on him. He played a big role in
the play from being a powerful governor along with being a deep lover. Othello and Desdemona, the
daughter of A senator from Venice, fell for each other and are married behind her father's back. The
father, Brabantio, finds out and says that Othello used his magic on her, but yet he still sent the two
to Cyprus together. Othello captured Desdemona with his stories about his past and Desdemona
quickly falls in love with him. Even though the love of the two is strong Othello lets his ensign Iago
draw him into his lies about his woman showing ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Although he is initially presented as a strong, confident character using typical heroic vocabulary, as
he succumbs to jealousy and rage."(Shakespeare for Students,1992)
This quote explains the shift in Othello's personality. Othello is fueled by the jealousy of Desdemona
and enraged that she would do such a thing to disrespect him. His pride was shattered and his
feelings were hurt.
"I would've been happy if the whole army had had

Marxist Criticism And Feminist Criticism
When one reads literature, can it make a difference in his views? Can it change the way she thinks
about various topics? Can it draw attention to situations going in today's society? Before one
answers this question, she should define and research what exactly is literature. According to a
dictionary, "Literature is writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of
permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history,
biography, and essays" ("Literature"). Those writings can tell individuals what is going on in the
world today, but does that mean that people will change what is going on? Literature can also tell
individuals ways in which they can change or adapt to the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Is really possible that literature could really do as much as these two or any other critics say? After
research and various discussions, literature does have the power and opportunity to change
individuals' views, but that does not necessarily mean that it will actually make them change their
views. There are several general examples that one could look at in order to answer this question.
Those examples are as followed: kneeling on the knee for the National Anthem, Beyonce's feminist
music, social media posts, and sexism with the presidential election. Before digging deeper into
those examples, one should make an important note that writers are equivalent to entertainers.
Writers are a bit more formal, but both play an important role in the views of society. First, look at
the kneeling on the knee for the National Anthem. The National Football League (NFL) has been
taking part in the action as a way of making a peaceful protest against social injustice. Anybody who
watches NFL has seen this and it has caught their attention, most likely, but has it changed their
views on social injustice? Has it made them take a stand to the situation or are they just aware of
what is going on? What about Beyonce's recent feminist music? Beyonce placed a lot of her feminist
views on her 2013 album known as Beyonce. In her song "Pretty Hurts," she speaks about how
women obsessing their looks could be destructive. In "Blow," she

A Doll's House Feminist Criticism
Isabella Cooreman
Ms. Yanik
AP Lit
28 September 2017
A Feminist Criticism Of Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll's House"
The idea of a parent leaving, is male–dominated, as most of society does not expect a woman to
leave the family. A woman who leaves everything behind in order to pursue her own dreams and
passioncould be considered to be a prime example of someone who is breaking the social norms
determined for women; However, "A Doll House" is a prime example of a woman not driven by the
urge to succeed or achieve equal opportunities as her male counterpart. In Henrik Ibsen's work "A
Doll House" the play does not conform with feminist ideals, and opposes many of the feminist
principles as defined by numerous documents, incuding "Decleration des Droites de la Femme", a
French document that has helped to define feminism since the french revolution. Although,
arguably, Nora is breaking the traditional role of being a wife and mother to her children, she never
mentions her urge to be equal to Torvald, (lacks motives besides not having another option, and
choosing to escape the situation after her image of a perfect wife has been ruined.
Arguably, Henrik Ibsen introduces the uncommon idea at the time of the woman leaving her family.
This idea has been continued in many other works and pieces, and can be considered as inspiration
for many other feminist works. Even in contemporary works, the plot has been modified using his
original plot elements. (Felski, p.102). The mostly recent

Feminist Literary Criticism In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The...
Feminism and The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter stood out as a revolutionary work of writing when first published in 1850, mainly
because of Nathaniel Hawthorne's radical main character Hester Prynne. The novel's influence and
Hawthorne's legacy are still clearly seen in its use in schools today, as well as its lasting popularity
with readers. As the novel has persisted throughout literary history, its themes, symbolism, and
characters have come under the view of many different lenses. It is arguable in our present day
circumstances that Hester and her role in the novel still represent and uphold the innate feeling of
what is known today as feminism.
One of the lenses that The Scarlet Letter has fallen under throughout the years is feminist literary
criticism. The definition of feminism given today states that it is the advocacy of women's rights on
the basis of the equality of the sexes, however, this is a broad definition that does not necessarily
encompass the feelings of this movement, feelings which can be found in the character of Hester
Prynne. Feminist literary criticism is the literary analysis that arises from the viewpoint of feminism,
feminist theory, and feminist politics. (Napikoski and Lewis, ThoughtCo.). While basic feminist
literary criticism falls under the categories of identifying with female characters and reevaluating
literature and the world in which literature is read, it can mean determining a literary work's
influence on feminism or vice versa,

Feminist Criticism Of Bridesmaids
The film is lead by Kristen Wiig, who plays Annie, a broke and lovelorn, soon–to–be maid of honor,
who attempts to mend her low self–esteem through sex with a hot, rich conceited narcissist. The
bride, played by Maya Rudolph, who's new beautiful, perfect friend, Helen, played by Rose Byrne,
is threatening to take Annie's place as the bride's BFF. The supporting cast includes Melissa
McCarthy, who plays Megan, the butch sister of the groom, adding to the array of humor throughout
the film. The film is set up with long gags, like the speech–off between Annie and Helen at the
wedding shower and Annie's intoxicated airplane fiasco in the attempt for a bachelorette weekend in
Vegas. All of which add to the hysterical comedy of the film, while ... Show more content on
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These narratives are embedded in the films plot, which is set in a traditionally acceptable feminine
theme of wedding planning, featuring a protagonist whose career ambition is also acceptably
womanly, a baker, and pits two conniving women against each other in competition for another
women's friendship (Smalls). Along these imperfections, the women onscreen come to reject the
possibility of a male gaze by deviating from the passive object of male desire, to the active subject
of female agency. This transition is supported by the fact that the script was written by two females,
Wiig and Annie Mumolo, which serves to empower women because it gives women a voice in a
field that has historically denied them (Buckley 14). The film continues to reject notions of
patriarchy through the use of language by featuring women who candidly complain about sex,
children, and men, but above all celebrates the value of women's friendship. These rhetorical
elements are symbols of female desire that provide the reversal device to disrupt the male gaze that
society standardly embraces (Buckley 11). Because Bridesmaids attention has stemmed from its
portrayal of females in comedy, a genre generally reserved for men, this device also rejects that
patriarchal discourse that typically dominates

Feminist Criticism In The Yellow Wallpaper
Feminist Criticism among "The Yellow Wallpaper"
Women all around the world are struggling with having a lack of equality with men. The story "The
Yellow Wallpaper", by the Charlotte Perkins Gilman' s is a feminist piece of literature. It connects to
the personal experiences to other women across the world. For the author to write a feminist work,
the story should challenge the gender oppression and include implications for social change. (Hart
45). By examining "The Yellow Wallpaper," it shows the protagonist's lack of authority and desire
for freedom to the readers through a feminist lens. The protagonist of "The Yellow Wallpaper"
realizes the struggle that women go through in order to seek freedom. The short story is based off
the author's own personal experience with society when it comes to feelings of male dominance and
gender oppression. After Gilman's marriage to her husband and birth of her daughter, she started to
go in a deeply depressive state of mind. "The Yellow Wallpaper" writes fictional account of her own
personal experience.
In the short story, the protagonist's husband, known as John, blocks her freedom to work, write, and
live, through his power of being her husband is a highly–educated doctor around town. John ...
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The author presents the work from within a predominantly female sensibility because her personal
experiences was from the feminist perspective. In the story, "John says if I don't pick up faster he
shall me to Weir Mitchell in the fall.", which shows that he warned her that if she did not get better
that he would send her there. In Gilman's personal experience, she went to Weir Mitchell for
treatment that drove her insanity (The Neurasthenia..."). Gilman's writing affected Weir Mitchell,
which drove him to find different ways of treatment in the best approach for women (The

Feminist Criticism In The Yellow Wallpaper And A White Heron
Feminist criticism is often defined as a literary analysis that arises from the viewpoint of feminism,
feminist theory, and/or feminist politics (Napikoski). Feminist criticism can be divided into two
parts. The first type of feminist criticism revolves around the idea of the woman being the reader of
male–constructed literature. This type of feminist criticism consists of the female reader focusing on
stereotypes and misconceptions about women. The second type of feminist criticism concentrates on
the woman being the writer. This type of feminist criticism demonstrates history, themes, genres,
and structures of literature by women. In the past, it was very common for literature that had been
constructed by men to be taken into consideration more than literature composed by women. Both
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and "A White Heron" by Sarah Orne Jewett
were written in the 1800's and revolved around the point of view of females. Both of these authors
use symbolism in order to represent and enhance the ideas of feminism in their stories. "The Yellow
Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a story about a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The Yellow Wallpaper represents the narrator's life, the woman in the wallpaper is trapped behind a
pattern and so is the narrator. "At night in any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, lamplight, and
worst of all by moonlight, it becomes bars! The outside pattern I mean, and the woman behind it is
as plain as can be" (p.6). The woman who she sees that is trapped in the yellow paper is a reflection
of herself, she herself felt trapped, she was crying for help and she felt like someone needed to come
and save her from the life that she was living. The way in which she is describing what she is seeing
in the yellow wallpaper is a representation of female language, she is describing her position in her
marriage with John from her point of

Feminist Criticism Of Frankenstein
Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus Bound was written in the 1800 century by Mary Shelley.
The novel is a classic; it is a tale of a man who was interested in finding out the secret to life. Dr.
Victor Frankenstein was his name; he was a young student when he discovered the secret to creating
life. After discovering this secret he decided to make his own creation, and what ended being the
result was a vile disgusting Monster; from this point what follows is a tale of trials and tribulations
being dealt to Victor and any person close to Victor.
When reading novels there are critics, who like to analyze stories based off their beliefs, for instance
you have historic critics who only analyze a situation based off the history of time surrounding it.
There is more than the history critics; you also have feminist critics and cultural critics. The feminist
perspective to analyze novels has been around for ages. Feminist are people who believe that
women point of views matter. When using this approach critics analyze the book for how the author
treats the female characters. There are few questions that the critics ask themselves: what are the
roles that the female characters play in the story? How are the female characters treated in the book?
Do the females in the book play a stereotypical part? These are just a few questions that need to be
answered when using the feminist approach to evaluate a novel. Frankenstein has several aspects,
where you can evaluate using the feminist

Feminist Literary Criticism By Joanne Rowling
When Joanne Rowling was planning her book publishing, it was suggested to her that she take on
the pen name J.K. Rowling, in order to make sure boys weren't turned off from reading her books
(J.K. Rowling). Later on in her career, she chose the name Robert Galbraith for a different series of
books. When letting her publisher know it wasn't Robert who wrote the book, but that it was she, he
was astonished that a women wrote the book he just finished (About – Roger Galbraith). These are
recent events in our history, and incidents like this are the reason feminist theory in literary criticism
exists. Feminist literary criticism is defined as, "literary analysis that arises from the viewpoint of
feminism, feminist theory and/or feminist politics" (Napikoski). There are a number of aims that
feminist literary theory fights for. One is teaching readers to see things from a woman character's
point of view in a written work, as many readers are not taught inherently how to do so. Another is
to help find lost works that were either not published due to being written by women, or works that
were hidden for years under a male's name, despite having been authored by women. Still another
aim is to expand libraries and school book lists to include more work written by women (Gillespie).
Though feminist literary theory has been challenged for being political, it is important to follow
through with this work so an accurate version of history is portrayed, and so generations to come
will

The Yellow Wallpaper-Feminist Criticism
Feminist criticism deals with the perception that modern contemporary values of society are
inherently unfair. (class notes). Shown in the text, 'the yellow wallpaper' aspects of feminism are
uncovered through the life of a woman in a controlive lifestyle between her husband and herself.
The short story displays a visual aspect through the eye of Jane, Jane describes her life in the
challenged society of her role as a wife, a servant to her husband. Feminist criticism is portrayed in
the short story through power struggles , manipulation of the male role and symbols.
"The basic view that Western Civilization is perversely patriarchal ( ruled by the father), male–
centered and controlled." (class notes) Women have struggled with power when ... Show more
Jane throughout the story explains that she loves to write and express her feeling. At certain points
of the story the narrator paints a vivid image of herself afraid of her husband finding her notes filled
with emotions and memories. Jane says, "Here comes john, and i must put this away, –– he hates to
have me write a word.". This demonstrates the struggle of women in the 18th centuries and how
they were not being taken seriously on their ideas and novels. An article written by ___ called
Shakespeare's room establishes the obstacles women had to do in order to write down their thoughts.
Additionally,"According to feminist critics, those historical circumstances which diminish the roles
of women in history must be addressed." (class notes) Females have been 'trapped' in relationships
with men that are mentally and physically abusive for years, this contributes that women are afraid
of the male. In the text it states,"I see her on that long road under the trees, creeping along, an when
a carriage comes she hides under the blackberry vines, –– i always lock the door when i creep by
daylight. I can't do it at night, for i know john would suspect something at once. –– i don't want
anybody to get that woman out at night by myself.". Symbols are being shown of a woman in the
wallpaper and outside of her home "creeping" on Jane watching her, the importance of this symbol
is that it represents two things– Jane being trapped in the house and desperately wants to leave, also
all women being pushed around in society. Furthermore, the statement made in the short story
addresses women's fears in the 18th century. The narrator demonstrates examples of oppression of
women that are

Feminist Criticism In Ballet Shoes
Several children's books of the 20th century remain popular to this day. Ballet Shoes, first published
in 1936, is no exception. Recently, the 75th anniversary of the novel's release was celebrated with a
special edition by the publisher. The continued success of the book proposes the question whether it
could be analysed from a feminist perspective, a form literary criticism that emerged after Ballet
Shoes was written. What happens when a feminist reading is applied to the text? The focus of this
paper is to evaluate elements of the novel, such as the characters, the plot to see if they can be
considered feminist or progressive.
First of all, to analyse a work of fiction from a feminist perspective, a definition of feminism and the
effect ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She likes cars, reading books about engines and building models. Unfortunately, she is not as
talented at performing or dancing as the other Fossils, which make her days at the school less
enjoyable than she would like. However, she is very intelligent and has the best results at studying
the regular subjects. She is hard working even if her only motivation to attend school is supporting
her family. Posy is the youngest, a talented ballerina in the making. She is quite ambitious and is not
afraid to pursue her dreams. She is also funny and knows how to make people

Feminist Criticism Of Ophelia
Ophelia is another one of Shakespeare's tragic victims. Throughout the years, her character has been
analyzed in a multitude of ways. Arguably being one of the main characters in Hamlet, Ophelia is
known for being one of the least developed. In her literary criticism piece, Representing Ophelia:
Women, Madness, and the Responsibilities of Feminist Criticism, Elaine Showalter goes through
countless interpretations of Ophelia's character. One interpretation of Ophelia concerns her being an
insignificant, minor role. Jacques Lacan believes that Ophelia is just part of Hamlet's exterior; she is
simply just one of Hamlet's accessories. She is weak and mad, but interesting in what she tells us
about Hamlet. Usually, critics barely even touch on Ophelia's role. Her character is so insignificant
to some that even those who try to advocate for her do so in embarrassment. Although she may be
insignificant, this criticism has caused Ophelia to be one of Shakespeare's most recognized female
characters. Ophelia's character has been highly popularized throughout time and even though some
do not support her, others do advocate for her. Some feminist critics feel that it is their responsibility,
as feminists, to approach as to how to portray Ophelia. Carol Neely believes that Ophelia's story
should be told, but there is nothing to tell. Shakespeare does not give enough information to imagine
a past for Ophelia. She only appears in 5 of the 20 scenes, which are for her love story with Hamlet.
Lee Edwards has similar beliefs to Neely; it is not possible to rebuild Ophelia's biography from the
text. Edwards states, "We can imagine Hamlet's story without Ophelia, but Ophelia literally has no
story without Hamlet." French psychoanalyst, Luce Irigaray, also believes that Ophelia has nothing.
Back in the Elizabethan times, "nothing" was short language for the female genitalia. Irigaray says
that for in the visual system of representation for males, nothing means having nothing to see.
Gertrude also says that Ophelia's speech is nothing when she gets mad. This is when her story
becomes the story of zero. Ophelia is deprived of her thought, sexuality, and language. Zero is the
mystery of feminine difference. Another approach to

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