What exactly is the Feminist Literary Criticism?
The feminist approach analyzes literature by finding the impact of gender on writing. This approach focuses on sexual differences and sexual politics, which can be further divided into gender and lesbian studies, cultural feminism, radical feminism, and socialist/materialist feminism. Also, this theory encompasses a focus on re-interpreting literature with an essentialist perspective in place of a patriarchal perspective. Meaning that, to re-interpret culture and history, men and women need to consider what it means to be a woman and what traits are inherently female based on culture and social construction. Texts are evaluated for presence of typical gender roles, development of voice and thought separate from societal norms for women, and inner realization as opposed to fulfilling external expectations.
Key Points in Feminist Literary Criticism:
· Patriarchy: Male centered/dominated structures in society which oppress women and promote the idea that male ideas and actions are social
standards.
· Androgyny: a world where sex roles are not defined, and every man and woman can freely express themselves. An idea that gender roles
combine so that neither femininity or masculinity is dominant in society.
· Écriture féminine: Meaning women's writing, this philosophy promotes women's experiences and emotions, which will strengthen a piece of
literature.
· Essentialism: this idea suggests that uniquely feminine traits can go beyond a cultures set ideas.
· Gynocentrics: the process of constructing a female framework for analysis and interpretation of women's literature based on women's
experiences and emotions instead of male frameworks and theories.
· Phallologocentrism: language that excludes, belittles, and silences femininity.
Key Points in Feminist Literary Criticism:
· Patriarchy: Male centered/dominated structures in society which oppress women and promote the idea that male ideas and actions are social
standards.
· Androgyny: a world where sex roles are not defined, and every man and woman can freely express themselves. An idea that gender roles
combine so that neither femininity or masculinity is dominant in society.
· Écriture féminine: Meaning women's writing, this philosophy promotes women's experiences and emotions, which will strengthen a piece of
literature.
· Essentialism: this idea suggests that uniquely feminine traits can go beyond a cultures set ideas.
· Gynocentrics: the process of constructing a female framework for analysis and interpretation of women's literature based on women's
experiences and emotions instead of male frameworks and theories.
· Phallologocentrism: language that excludes, belittles, and silences femininity.