Feminist criticism analyzes how women have traditionally been portrayed as less valuable than men in literature. It examines how early writings often condoned the oppression of women in male-dominated societies and how women writers were taken less seriously than men. Feminist criticism scholars contend these stereotypical views of women in early literary works helped prevent women from achieving social, political, and economic equality. The analysis divides history into periods including the 1700s-early 1900s, when women first examined female characters created from a male perspective, and the 1960s-1970s women's rights movement that drew attention to injustices against women.

1. Feminist criticism
Feminist criticism defines a literary theory showing how women were portrayed as less
valuable than men in literature throughout history. Usually called feminist literary
criticism, it studies how early writings condoned the oppression of women because men
dominated society. It also explores how women writers were taken less seriously than
male authors from a historical perspective.Going back hundreds of years, women were
shown in literature as imperfect when compared to men, according to feminist criticism.
Female stereotypes abound in early literary works, and feminist criticism scholars
contend these views kept women from reaching equality socially, politically, and
economically. In some instances, women were simply viewed as being different from
men but not recognized for any contributions to society.
Feminist criticism gender studies typically divide history into three distinct periods. The
first era looks at literature from the 1700s through the early 1900s. This is considered
the first time women began examining female characters in literature, which were
created from a male viewpoint. Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own, published in
1929, is studied for its impact on feminist criticism and the obstacles female writers
overcame to express their views.
At that time, most women were confined to a house, which became a re-occurring
theme in books by female authors of the era. Over time, these writers began developing
strong female characters that went against society’s expectations. These early heroines
sought independence and followed a quest for knowledge, with literature showing
women bucking the system and using their intellect to make personal decisions.The
second wave of feminist criticismarose between the 1960s and late 1970s. The
women’s rights movement drew attention to political, economic, and social injustices to
the female sex. This era coincided with the civil rights movement that demanded
equality for people of color.
During the 1990s, scholars studying feminist criticism actively wrote about the
contributions of women to society. Literature included studies of text throughout history
that illustrated the debasement of women, especially in works considered classics. The
way women were featured in historical works influenced female characters in modern
text internationally during this time.