A study of Glossary of literary Terms:
Feminism
and Gender studies
Name: Rinkal jani
Roll no: 22
Year: 2016 – 2018
M.A. Semester: 2
Paper no: 7 Literary
theory and Criticism
Email
Id: rinkaljani1807@gmail.com
Assignment topic: A study
of Glossary of literary Terms: Feminism
and Gender studies
Submited
to: Dr. Dilip Barad
Smt. S.B.Gardi
Department of English
M.K.Bhavnagar
University.
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Introduction:
In Literary
Criticism there are many terms, by using that terms literary writer or critic
made the literature. Some terms in literature which is starting as movement and
then after critic do lots of critical thinking and gives views and opinion and
then its became a literary critic term. Writer and critic do writes and crate's
literature by using this like terms, it is a base and fundamental idea of some
critical essay and article’s. Terms like Feminist criticism, Gender studies,
Queer theory, Feminine edging, Woman’s studies or man’s studies which are the
studies in which some fundamental questions about women identity or questions
of her existentialism is raised by critic, Then other like in Gender studies in
which studies of all Masculine, Female, Male and Homosexual gender, all are
included and its studies which include the questions of all both’s (queer, Female,) Double marginalization standard
and position in the society, let’s have look on two main terms “Feminism” and “Gender
studies”
.
What is
feminist Criticism?
In simple word Feminism is the belief in
the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. Feminist activism is
the struggle for that equality of women. Feminism is a political and power movement as well as a
literary approach. The different
phrases of the feminist movement and the feminist literary development are not
identical but they are interrelated.
The phrase “Feminist Criticism” is an
umbrella term for several varieties of critical analysis and interpretation of
literature that use as a base some of the assumptions of the feminist movement. Like any "ism," feminism is rich with
jargon, which can lead deeply personal conversations to turn unnecessarily
dense. While some terms are entrenched, others are contemporary additions to an
evolving lexicon.
Feminist
criticism is as a distinctive and concreted approach to literature, it was not inaugurated
until late in the 1960s. Behind it however, lie two centuries of struggle for
the recognition of women’s cultural roles and achievements and for women’s
social and political rights.
Several other distinct types of criticism have branched
off from Feminist Criticism For example “Queer Theory” and “Gender Studies” or “Gynocriticism”, “Eco-Feminism” they are grew
out of ideas originally developed by feminist critics.
Types of feminism:
·
Eco feminism.
·
Marxist or socialist
feminism.
·
Cultural feminism
which includes parts of 'womanism'
·
Liberal feminism.
·
Radical feminism.
Feminist
Criticism and related theories are unapologetically political. Critics who use these theories share the
strong belief that examining literature through the lens of Feminist Criticism
can be a tool for social and political awareness and for change. Feminism:
Belief in and desire for equality between the sexes. As Merriam-Webster noted
last month: "the belief that men and women should have equal rights and
opportunities." It encompasses social, political and economic equality. Of
course, a lot of people tweak the definition to make it their own. Feminist
activist bell hooks calls it "a movement to end sexism, sexist
exploitation, and oppression.",
After starting this movement however, lie
two centuries of struggle for the recognition
of women cultural roles and achievements and for women social and political
right, marked Mary Wollstonecraft’s A vindication
of rights of women (1792) John Stuart
Mill’s The subjugation of women (1869)
and the American Margaret Fuller’s Women In the Nineteenth centuries (1845).
Much of feminist literary criticism continues in our time to be interrelated with
the movement by politically. Feminists for social, legal and cultural freedom
and equality.
An Important precursor in feminist criticism
was Virginia Woolf, who in addition to her fiction, wrote A Room of once own(1929)and
Nemours essay written on “Patriarchal” or male dominant and many more things.
There are some sub important words
or terms related to feminism which should be known about that is much important.
For Example:
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.
Hostile sexism: The one most people think
about. Openly insulting, objectifying and degrading women.
Benevolent sexism: Less obvious. Kind
of seems like a compliment, even though it's rooted in men's feelings of
superiority. It's when men say women are worthy of their protection (off
the sinking boat first) or that they're more nurturing than men (therefore should
raise children). It's restrictive.
Internalized sexism: When the belief in
women's inferiority becomes part of one's own worldview and self-concept.
Privilege: The idea that some people
in society are advantaged over others.
What questions might a feminist critic ask?
1.
In what ways is patriarchy present
in a particular work? How are the
effects of patriarchy evident in the lives and attitudes of the characters?
2.
Do
female characters show signs of resistance to patriarchy? If so, how is this
resistance portrayed?
3.
How
are the concerns unique to women in a particular place/time portrayed in the
work? To what extent does this portrayal
value those concerns?
What is a Gender study?
Gender Studies is an
interdisciplinary field, which includes exploration of the histories and
experiences of diverse women as well as studies of sexualities, masculinities,
and gender systems.
Gender studies examine the causes of these injustices
and looks for real-world solutions and means of prevention. It promotes
awareness of the value of all people, regardless of sex. Gender studies examine
all spheres of life, including the home and family, the workplace, religious
institutions, education, government and the media. Gender studies research also
investigates the nature of gender, and thereby helps society and individuals
establish healthy gender-related expectations and models of identity.
Gender studies allow people in different social
environments to solve gender-related conflicts by providing a common
understanding regarding gender identity and relationships. It studies how men and women are the same and
ways in which they differ. Gender studies enable an understanding of each
gender's needs and the unique contributions each gender makes to society.
Gender and Feminist Criticism
Many Gender Critics see a
difference between gender (which is socially constructed) and sex
(which is biological).
This means that ideas about "typically"
masculine or feminine traits and behaviors are products of culture and social
conditioning.
Gender Critics are
interested in how works of literature either support or undermine the
"standards" of masculine/feminine behavior and identity held by the
culture in which they were produced.
As a
constructivist endeavor, gender studies examines how gender is less determined
by nature than it is by culture, and such a cultural analysis is
at the center of the most complex and vital critical enterprises at the present
time.
Many theorists point out that what is
“normal” sexually depends upon when and where one lives
To windup…
I would
like to windup this discussion with the quote
“Feminism
isn’t about making women strong. Its about Changing the way the world perceives
that strength”
G.D Anderson
In 21st century the perspective
and point of view towards the looking feminism and this gender studies is much different
from earlier, Pepole have misunderstood about feminism they only perceive feminism
as a “Anti-men”
But it was not absolutely true so for that response nowadays Masculine
studies in which the idea about men and his perception also include. According
to me Feminism that only means that a man should only understood and respect
about female’s ideas, decisions and opinions.
Citation:
Ø A Glossary of
literary Terms
