Feminist Literary Criticism: Goals & Objectives

What does Lisa Tuttle define as the primary goal of feminist theory?

What is one of the main goals of feminist criticism, according to Lisa Tuttle?

What is a characteristic of feminist literary criticism before the 1970s?

What is a result of the arrival of more complex conceptions of gender and subjectivity in feminist literary criticism?

Who are some classic female authors mentioned in the text?

What is a key aspect of feminist literary criticism?

What is the primary focus of feminist literary criticism?

What is the definition of patriarchy in the context of feminist literary criticism?

What is the goal of some feminist critics who argue that a feminine language needs to be asserted?

What is the term used to describe the type of criticism that explores what a text hides rather than what it overtly says?

Who are the authors that are often inserted into the literary canon by feminist critics?

What is the term used to describe the exploration of a literary tradition of women writers?

Feminist Literary Criticism

Defined by Lisa Tuttle (1986) as asking "new questions of old texts"
Goals of feminist criticism:
- Develop and uncover a female tradition of writing
- Interpret the symbolism of women's writing from a female perspective
- Rediscover old texts
- Analyze women writers and their writings from a female perspective
- Resist sexism in literature
- Increase awareness of the sexual politics of language and style

History of Feminist Literary Criticism

Emerged from the women's movement following World War II
Concerned with the representation of women in literature and the politics of women's authorship
Since the 1970s, has taken new routes, including considering gender in terms of Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis
Involves a critique of patriarchy, an ideology that privileges masculine ways of thinking and marginalizes women

Patriarchy and Language

Patriarchy denigrates or ignores women, including in language usage
Some critics argue that a masculine style of language has suppressed a feminine one
A feminine language would be more fluid, less straightforward and logical, and more perceptual
Examples of feminine language can be seen in the work of authors like Virginia Woolf

Feminist Literary Style

Some critics explore texts in detail, demonstrating patriarchal patterns or the complex responses of women writers to their own authorial status
Others insert ignored female writers into the literary canon, studying the literary tradition of women writers
This criticism often explores what the text hides, such as unquestioning attitudes toward ideologically entrenched ideas about women, making it an example of a "hermeneutics of suspicion"

Explore the goals and objectives of feminist literary criticism, including developing a female tradition of writing, interpreting symbolism, and resisting sexism in literature. Learn about the key aspects of feminist theory in literature.