Feminist Criticism
Feminist criticism and feminism in general have got a bad rap. This is mostly because people hear one or more feminist viewpoints that they don't agree with or maybe even think are ludicrous, and from those experiences condemn the entire thing. I know I've done it. Feminism is valuable. There are many different camps of feminism and a lot of them have very important things to say about equality, and what it is to be a woman, and even what it is to be a man.
Feminist criticism concerns itself with patriarchy (rule by men), and how literature either supports it, or undermines it. Literature can actively, and consciously support the patriarchy, or as is most often the case support the patriarchy unconsciously. Most pieces of literature aren't intended to oppress women, or to support the patriarchy, just as most people don't try to be chauvanistic. It happens quite often, though, that literature does inadvertantly forward patriarchal views. The job of the feminist critic in cases like this is to read the literature with an eye toward what the literature does that supports the patriarchal status quo, and expose the sexist notions imbedded in the literature. If the work does not support the patriarchy, and follows a feminist agenda, then the feminist critic shows where it could support the patriarchy but doesn't and praises the work because of its enlightened state. Sometimes a piece of literature will attempt to undermine the patriarchy, but show itself to be part of the patriarchy by unintended aspects of the work. When we confront this ideologically confused literature, it is necessary to show how both sides are functioning, and then praise or condemn the work according to its merits and flaws.
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3.15.2002
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