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Students apply feminist theory to critique gender roles, patriarchy, and the representation of women in global texts.
Have you ever noticed that in many classic stories, the heroine's primary 'quest' is simply to be noticed or rescued by the hero? What happens to the narrative when we stop looking at women as objects and start seeing them as the authors of their own fate?
To analyze literature through a feminist lens, we must first identify Patriarchy: a social system in which power is primarily held by men, impacting political leadership, moral authority, and social privilege. In literature, this often manifests as the 'literary canon'—a collection of 'must-read' works historically written by and for men. Feminist criticism doesn't just ask 'where are the women?' but 'how are women being used to support the male protagonist's journey?' We look for marginalization, where female voices are pushed to the edges, and stereotyping, where women are confined to roles like the 'nurturing mother' or the 'temptress.'
Consider a traditional fairy tale like Cinderella: 1. Identify the Power: The King holds the ball; the stepmother's power is only domestic and derived from her late husband. 2. Identify the Goal: The female characters' success is defined by marriage to a high-status male. 3. Analyze the Conflict: The women are pitted against each other to compete for male validation, reinforcing a system where their value is external.
Quick Check
In feminist literary theory, what does it mean when a character is 'marginalized'?
Answer
It means the character's perspective, voice, and importance are pushed to the fringes of the story, making them secondary to the dominant (usually male) narrative.
Agency refers to a character's capacity to act independently and make their own free choices. A character with high agency drives the plot through their decisions; a character with low agency is merely 'acted upon' by others or by fate. In feminist critique, we distinguish between a 'strong female character' (who might just be good at fighting) and a character with narrative agency. To measure this, we can use the Bechdel-Wallace Test, which requires that a work: 1. Has at least two [named] women in it, 2. Who talk to each other, 3. About something other than a man.
Quick Check
Does a female character having 'physical strength' automatically mean she has 'narrative agency'?
Answer
No. Agency is about making choices that impact the plot, not just physical prowess. A strong warrior who only follows a king's orders has low agency.
Coined by film theorist Laura Mulvey, The Male Gaze describes how the world and women are depicted from a masculine, heterosexual point of view. In literature, this occurs when the narrator or protagonist describes a female character primarily by her physical appearance or her effect on men, rather than her internal thoughts or actions. This turns the woman into an object to be looked at, rather than a subject with her own experience. When analyzing a text, look for 'lingering' descriptions of anatomy or instances where a woman's value is tied strictly to her beauty or 'purity'.
Compare two descriptions of the same event: 1. The Gaze: 'She stood in the doorway, the light catching the curve of her hips, a prize waiting to be claimed by the victor.' (Focus is on visual consumption and ownership). 2. The Subject: 'She stood in the doorway, her mind racing through the tactical errors of the men in the room, her hand hovering near the hidden blade.' (Focus is on internal cognition and intent).
To critique the gaze, ask: Is this description necessary for her character development, or is it for the reader's/protagonist's visual pleasure?
Which concept describes a social system where men hold primary power and dominate roles in political and social life?
If a female character is described solely by her physical beauty and her role in helping the hero achieve his goals, she is likely being:
A story passes the Bechdel Test if two women talk to each other about their shared interest in a male protagonist.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to recall the three criteria of the Bechdel-Wallace Test and define 'The Male Gaze' in your own words.
Practice Activity
Pick a chapter from a book you are currently reading. Count how many times a female character makes a choice that changes the direction of the plot. Does she have agency?