WHAT IS THE FEMINIST THEORY?

The feminist theory is a form of literary criticism that is based on feminist theories. It is broadly explained as the politics of feminism and uses feminist principles to critique the male-dominated literature. The root cause of this type of criticism lies in the oppression of women in social, political, economic and psychological literature.Women have been ignored or mostly considered secondary in the literature for a very long time now.

The feminist theory aims to view women in a different perspective and discover their many contributions to the history of literature. It also aims to reinterpret the old texts and establish the importance of women’s writing to save them from being lost or ignored in the male-dominated world.

FEMINIST THEORY CONTINUED...

NOTABLE THEORIST #1

1921 - 2006

Betty Friedan combined activism and theory in her feminism. She was the author of The Feminist Mystique (1963) identifying the "problem that has no name". She was also the founder and first president of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and an ardent proponent of and organizer for the Equal Rights Amendment. She generally opposed feminists taking positions that would make it difficult for "mainstream" women and men to identify with feminism.

NOTABLE THEORIST #2

1801 - 1865

Frederika Bremer, a Swedish writer, was a novelist and mystic who also wrote on socialism and on feminism. She studied American culture and the position of women on her American trip in 1849 to 1851​ and wrote about her impressions after returning home. She's also known for her work for international peace.

FEMINISM TERMINOLOGY

Patriarchy: A hierarchical-structured society in which men hold more power.

Sexism: The idea that women are inferior to men.

Misogyny: Hatred of women.

Misandry: Hatred of men.

Feminism: Belief in and desire for equality between the sexes.

HOW TO APPLY THIS THEORY TO LITERATURE

ASK YOURSELF...

1.) How do female characters perceive themselves in the text?

2.) How do the male characters perceive the female characters?

3.) Is the portrayal of women or men sexist?

4.) Are there any gender stereotypes portrayed in the text, if so, identify them.

5.) What is the nature of the relationship between male and female?

REAL LIFE EXAMPLES OF FEMINISM

In these three photos, women from all over come together as one to protest for rights of women and gender equality.