Feminist Criticism

A literary theory that focuses on the representation and role of women in literature and the socio-cultural context in which they are created.

What is feminist literary criticism?

- "Feminist literary criticism is literary criticism informed by feminist theory, or more broadly, by the politics of feminism."

How does feminist literary criticism analyze literature?

- "It uses the principles and ideology of feminism to critique the language of literature."

What does feminist literary criticism explore within literature?

- "It seeks to analyze and describe the ways in which literature portrays the narrative of male domination by exploring the economic, social, political, and psychological forces embedded within literature."

In what ways has feminist literary criticism influenced the study of literary texts?

- "It has changed the way literary texts are viewed and studied, as well as changing and expanding the canon of what is commonly taught."

Which area of literature is feminist literary criticism commonly applied to?

- "It is used a lot in Greek myths."

What did feminist literary criticism traditionally aim to do?

- "It sought to examine old texts within the literary canon through a new lens."

What are specific goals of feminist criticism?

- "Examining both the development and discovery of female tradition of writing, and rediscovering of old texts." - "Interpreting symbolism of women's writing so that it will not be lost or ignored by the male point of view." - "Resisting sexism inherent in the majority of mainstream literature."

Who developed the goals mentioned in question 7?

- "These goals were developed by Lisa Tuttle in the 1980s."

How has feminist literary criticism expanded the canon of literature?

- "It has sought to analyze women writers and their writings from a female perspective, increasing awareness of the sexual politics of language and style."

What is the history of feminist literary criticism?

- "It is extensive, from classic works of nineteenth-century female authors such as George Eliot and Margaret Fuller to cutting-edge theoretical work in women's studies and gender studies by 'third-wave' authors."

What aspects of women's representation in literature concerned feminist literary criticism in the past?

- "Feminist literary criticism was concerned with women's authorship and the representation of women's condition within the literature, particularly the depiction of fictional female characters."

Why have women been excluded from the literary canon?

- "The views of women authors are often not considered to be universal."

What connection does feminist criticism have with queer studies?

- "Feminist criticism has been closely associated with the birth and growth of queer studies."

What does modern feminist literary theory aim to understand?

- "It seeks to understand both the literary portrayals and representation of both women and people in the queer community."

What does modern feminist literary criticism expand within its analysis?

- "It expands the role of a variety of identities and analysis within feminist literary criticism."