The Top 10 Movies About Scientists and Chemistry

Feminist Literary Criticism Defined

Feminist literary criticism (also known as feminist criticism) is the literary analysis that arises from the viewpoint of feminism, ​feminist theory, and/or feminist politics. Critical Methodology A feminist literary critic resists traditional assumptions while reading a text. In addition to challenging assumptions which were thought to be universal, feminist literary criticism actively supports including womens knowledge in literature and valuing womens experiences. The basic methods of feminist literary criticism include: Identifying with female characters: By examining the way female characters are defined, critics challenge the male-centered outlook of authors. Feminist literary criticism suggests that women in literature have been historically presented as objects seen from a male perspective.Reevaluating literature and the world in which literature is read: By revisiting the classic literature, the critic can question whether society has predominantly valued male authors and their literary works because it has valued males more than females. Embodying or Undercutting Stereotypes Feminist literary criticism recognizes that literature both reflects and shapes stereotypes and other cultural assumptions.  Thus, feminist literary criticism examines how works of literature embody patriarchal attitudes or undercut them, sometimes both happening within the same work. Feminist theory and various forms of feminist critique began long before the formal naming of the school of literary criticism. In so-called first-wave feminism, the Womans Bible, written in the late 19th century by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, is an example of a work of criticism firmly in this school, looking beyond the more obvious male-centered outlook and interpretation. PhotoQuest / Getty Images During the period of second-wave feminism, academic circles increasingly challenged the male literary canon. Feminist literary criticism has since intertwined with postmodernism and increasingly complex questions of gender and societal roles. Tools of the Feminist Literary Critic Feminist literary criticism may bring in tools from other critical disciplines, such as historical analysis, psychology, linguistics, sociological analysis, economic analysis, for instance.  Feminist criticism may also look at intersectionality, looking at how factors including race, sexuality, physical ability, and class are also involved. Feminist literary criticism may use any of the following methods: Deconstructing the way that women characters are described in novels, stories, plays, biographies, and histories, especially if the author is maleDeconstructing how ones own gender influences how one reads and interprets a text, and which characters and how the reader identifies depending on the readers genderDeconstructing how women autobiographers and biographers of women treat their subjects, and how biographers treat women who are secondary to the main subjectDescribing relationships between the literary text and ideas about power and sexuality and genderCritique of patriarchal or woman-marginalizing language, such as a universal use of the masculine pronouns he and himNoticing and unpacking differences in how men and women write: a style, for instance, where women use more reflexive language and men use more direct language (example: she let herself in vs. he opened the door)Reclaiming women writers who are little known or have been marginalized or undervalued, sometimes referre d to as expanding or criticizing the canon—the usual list of important authors and works  (Examples include raising up the contributions of early playwright ​Aphra Behn, showing how she was treated differently than male writers from her own time forward, and the retrieval of Zora Neale Hurstons writing by Alice Walker.)Reclaiming the female voice as a valuable contribution to literature, even if formerly marginalized or ignoredAnalyzing multiple works in a genre as an overview of a feminist approach to that genre: for example, science fiction or detective fictionAnalyzing multiple works by a single author (often female)Examining how relationships between men and women and those assuming male and female roles are depicted in the text, including power relationsExamining the text to find ways in which patriarchy is resisted or could have been resisted Feminist literary criticism is distinguished from gynocriticism because feminist literary criticism may also analyze and deconstruct literary works of men. Gynocriticism Gynocriticism, or gynocritics, refers to the literary study of women as writers. It is a critical practice exploring and recording female creativity. Gynocriticism attempts to understand women’s writing as a fundamental part of female reality. Some critics now use â€Å"gynocriticism† to refer to the practice and â€Å"gynocritics† to refer to the practitioners. American literary critic Elaine Showalter coined the term gynocritics in her 1979 essay â€Å"Towards a Feminist Poetics.† Unlike feminist literary criticism, which might analyze works by male authors from a feminist perspective, gynocriticism wanted to establish a literary tradition of women without incorporating male authors. Showalter felt that feminist criticism still worked within male assumptions, while gynocriticism would begin a new phase of women’s self-discovery. Resources and Further Reading Alcott, Louisa May. The Feminist Alcott: Stories of a Womans Power. Edited by Madeleine B. Stern, Northeastern University, 1996.Barr, Marleen S. Lost in Space: Probing Feminist Science Fiction and Beyond. University of North Carolina, 1993.Bolin, Alice. Dead Girls: Essays on Surviving an American Obsession. William Morrow, 2018.Burke, Sally. American Feminist Playwrights: A Critical History. Twayne, 1996.Carlin, Deborah. Cather, Canon, and the Politics of Reading. University of Massachusetts, 1992.Castillo, Debra A. Talking Back: Toward a Latin American Feminist Literary Criticism. Cornell University, 1992.Chocano, Carina. You Play the Girl. Mariner, 2017.Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar, editors. Feminist Literary Theory and Criticism: A Norton Reader. Norton, 2007.Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar, editors. Shakespeares Sisters: Feminist Essays on Women Poets. Indiana University, 1993.Lauret, Maria. Liberating Literature: Feminist Fiction in America. Routledge, 1994.Lavigne, C arlen. Cyberpunk Women, Feminism and Science Fiction: A Critical Study. McFarland, 2013.Lorde, Audre. Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches. Penguin, 2020.Perreault, Jeanne. Writing Selves: Contemporary Feminist Autography. University of Minnesota, 1995.Plain, Gill, and Susan Sellers, editors. A History of Feminist Literary Criticism. Cambridge University, 2012.Smith, Sidonie, and Julia Watson, editors. De/Colonizing the Subject: The Politics of Gender in Womens Autobiography. University of Minnesota, 1992. This article was edited and with significant additions by Jone Johnson Lewis

Oppression Of The United States - 1401 Words

The continuously growing number of Blacks in the United States’s population is ironic in how they are being treated by White cops. It may be their very numbers that frighten government authorities, causing them to act in violent ways, or it could simply be their skin color. Oppression based on race, color, or numbers anywhere should no longer exist in this day and age, let alone the United States of America. This country should be a place where no person should be afraid of being oppressed because of their physical self. Many believe that judgment and aggression towards a specific color of skin was simply a part of our past. However, what we are not aware of is that this behavior was, is, and will be a part of our past, present, and future if we are not shaken out of what hopefully is, a phase. This phase includes people quickly assuming and acting brutally towards Black people. Based on countless circumstances, it is evident that we need to change how we live, which continue s to be a world that has Blacks being mistreated by white police. Although it is known that the United States has a dark past concerning poor treatment towards the Black race, such as slavery and segregation, obvious discrimination is still intact with people today. The Black population in America is about 45 million, while the entire United States population is about 321 million. Does the said obvious discrimination have anything to do with Blacks holding the title for highest number of minorities?Show MoreRelatedOppression Of The United States868 Words   |  4 Pages In this course we learned about many different types of oppression, from the time America was first â€Å"discovered† and the discoverers began oppressing the Indians, to slavery, to the oppression of the mentally handicapped, all the way to more â€Å"modern† times in schools were students are being oppressed. When the Europeans and Spaniards first â€Å"discovered† North America all was well. The Indians at first were truly intrigued with the white man as the brought all sorts of new stuff to trade. MatterRead More Oppression and Class warfare Exposed in Dr. Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States2112 Words   |  9 Pages Dr. Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States might be better titled A Proletarian’s History of the United States. In the first three chapters Zinn looks at not only the history of the conquerors, rulers, and leaders; but also the history of the enslaved, the oppressed, and the led. Like any American History book covering the time period of 1492 until the early 1760’s, A People’s History tells the story of the â€Å"discovery† of America, early colonization by European Read MoreSocial And Social Impact On Human Diversity808 Words   |  4 PagesSocial workers must be able to discuss the human behaviors of different groups of people.   The differences of mankind are what is called in social work human diversity. Council on Social Work Education states that human diversity can be grouped in subgroups that consist of age, color, class, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, political ideology, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation; (Zastrow Ashman, 2013, p.11). There are social systemsRead MoreHouse Bill : The Rights Of The United States1545 Words   |  7 Pagesthat are guaranteed to us a citizen of the United States and as human beings. These rights include the fact that â€Å"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights† (â€Å"Universal Declaration†). In the United States, w e are also guaranteed the rights to not be discriminated against due to race, gender, age, sex, and sexual orientation, however, discrimination is all too common. Discriminatory laws and practices occur all over the United States daily and affect many minority groups. In recentRead MoreThe Classification Of Native Americans1457 Words   |  6 PagesThe classification of Native Americans by the United States government has long produced tension. Native Americans within the United States are classified using standards that differ from those used to classify other racial or ethnic minorities, specifically African Americans. While, historically, the classification of African-Americans as relied upon the â€Å"one-drop† rule, the classification of Native Americans over the past hundred years has relied upon varying, complicated, and ultimately arbitraryRead MoreLatinos And The Latino Population1560 Words   |  7 Pagescommunity of considerable diversity of culture, race, ethnic , and national origin. It is a community on the forefront of significant demographic change and sociopolitical growth (Appleby, G.A., Colon, E., Hamilton, J., 2011). Latinos in the United States are diverse, and collectively the second largest ethnic minority population in the country (Vigil, 1996). In the Latino population, culture represents a way of life that binds Latinos together through their language, values, beliefs, and practicesRead MoreBlindness Research Paper817 Words   |  4 Pages Blindness in the United States: The Oppression of the Visually Impaired in America Madelyn R. Smith Indiana University- Indianapolis â€Æ' The United States has many minority groups that face oppression. In the media today, most of the minority issues that are highlighted involve the LGBTQ community, women, and racial minorities. Differently-abled people are rarely given the space to share with the world how they see it. This literature review will discuss terms related to visual impairmentRead MoreThe Media, Oppression, And The Islam915 Words   |  4 Pagesthe process of understanding the media, oppression, and the Islam religion, as well as how the elements are intertwined, the simple solution of education presented itself; a result that allows for a better understanding and recognition of discrimination in mass media. Education is the solution to prejudiced westernized media that has projected Islamophobia for years; triggering hatred, discrimination, oppression, and pure racism- especially in the United States after the terrorist attacks on SeptemberRead MoreHispanic Ethnicity And The Latino Population1370 Words à ‚  |  6 Pagescommunity of considerable diversity of culture, race, ethnic, and national origin. It is a community on the forefront of significant demographic change and sociopolitical growth (Appleby, G.A., Colon, E., Hamilton, J., 2011). Latinos in the United States are diverse, and collectively the second largest ethnic minority population in the country (Vigil, 1996). Culture represents a way of life that binds Latinos together through their language, values, beliefs, and practices that are considered appropriateRead MoreWith The Recent Election Being Highly Controversial And1378 Words   |  6 PagesWith the recent election being highly controversial and contested the United States finds itself with an incredibly volatile and inclement political climate. While the United States continues to face social and political issues rap music and its artist have been a source to document the oppression that is still occurring within the country. Documenting racism and oppression by u sing politically charged lyrics is a method the rap community is particularly familiar. As time went on rap artists began

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight free essay sample

For your second essay you are going to analyze both Sir Gawain and The Canterbury Tales and explain their relationship to each other. You have three options for this assignment. Choose one of the three options. Do not choose more than one. Option One: Compare and contrast the use of humor in the two works. How does the use of humor help to support the central theme of each? Does one author make better use of humor? Be sure to clearly state the central theme of each work and then to discuss the role humor plays in supporting those themes. When Sir Gawain accepted the challenge, he demonstrated selflessness. The challenge was introduced in a manner that gave the volunteer hardly any time to think about it. Rather than him debating about whether it would benefit him or not, e sacrificed impulsively for the sake of his King, and for the honor and reputation of his fellow knights. Sir Gawain demonstrated leadership because they needed a representative. He didnt accept out of selfish ambition, but out of devotion to their cause. He was obviously brave, for agreeing to a match that had so much confusion regarding the Green Knights motives. Sir Gawains example at this point in the poem is very honorable. Sir Gawain goes out in search of the Green Chapel, as their meeting time draws near. As he seeks a place where he could attend mass, he comes across a castle. He is welcomed there by the host and ushered to stay. The host proposes a deal with Gawain. He offers that he will trade all of his hunting winnings for anything Sir Gawain is able to attain while staying in the castle. They agree. The next morning, the lords beautiful wife sneaks into Gawains bed, and flirtatiously demands a kiss. He refuses her seductiveness, but as she leaves grants her a kiss. That night him and the host exchange their winnings, and Gawain gives the lord a kiss. The next day the wife convinces him to kiss her twice. That evening he kisses the host twice. The third day he grants her three kisses, and she insists he give her a token of some sort. He refuses this, and wont accept one from her. Then she mentions her girdle, which is apparently magical, and protects the wearer from death. He keeps the girdle, but to the host he does not trade the girdle. The poem ends in a twist of events, Sir Gawain discovers the Green Knight is the host of the castle. At the Green Chapel the Green Knight spares Gawains life, because he finds him to be an honorable knight. He strikes Gawain three times, on the third time drawing blood, because on the third trade of winnings, Gawain was not completely honest that he had kept the girdle. In many medieval romances, the hero doesnt admit their own failure. Yet this story is different. Sir Gawain returns to King Arthurs Court in shame. He continues to wear the girdle to humble his heart H was completely honest as he told the tale before the court. He did not try to flatter himself in his story. He did not lie or cover up his faults. Arthur and all of the knights oined Gawain in wearing green girdles, so as to honor him for his integrity. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a tale that focuses on one character, Sir Gawain. It captures an example of what an honorable knight would have been. Gawain displays ideals that medieval society produced, such as faithfulness and devotion to a cause, selflessness, sacrifice, integrity, honesty, and humility. This poem doesnt represent a conceited lead character, like many others of its kind. It represents a relatable, but still very honorable and inspirational knightly model.