Feminism:: Definitions

Feminism:
Feminism is one of the literary theory, which deals with women role in society, rights, duties
and sufferings of them. This is a collection of movements and ideologies which establish and
defended the political social ecnomic rights for women. This theory is about the women
suffarage. The literature that reflects femnist ideologies and methods used in practical study
of femnism in femnist literature.
“Femin-” comes from the latin root word “femina,” meaning

woman. “-ism” is a suffix derived from the greek “ισμός” or
“ismós” that turns the preceding noun into a verb, implying a
belief, practice, or worldview.
This term is coined by Charles Fourier in 1937. He termed it as “Feminist”
Definitions:
According to Pamela Anderson;
“The true meaning of feminism to use your strong womanly
image to gain strong results in society.”
According to Tyson;
“The ways in which literature reinforces or undermines
the economic, political, social and psychological oppression
of women.”
In words of Fatterley this is as,
“Feminist criticism is a political act whose aim is not simply
to interpret the world but to change by the consciousness
of those who read and their relation to what they read.”
In simple words Feminism is a radical notion that women are people a body of
ideas that aims to enhance women status and power, affirms women quality
with men and rejects patriarchy.
 Waves of Feminism:
 There are three waves of Feminism:
 First Wave of Feminism:
 It is from late 1700s to 1900 in America. In this movement women claims for Voting
rights. It leads to National United Suffrage in 1920 with the passing of nineteenth
amendment.
 Second Wave of Feminism:

 It is from 1960s to 1970s in US and spread over western countries after WWII. It
focused on the issues of equality and discrimination. The National Organization for
Women (NOW), formed in 1966, cohere feminist political activism.
 Third Wave of Feminism:

 It is from 1990s –till early 2000 and continued till 4th wave in 2012. It focused on
body, gender, sexuality and hatred rights.
Types or Strands of Feminism:
 Liberal Feminism
 Marxist Feminism
 Radical Feminism
1. Liberal Feminism:
The liberal or Socialist Feminism deals with impartialities done with women in
a society. It focuses on economic and political rights of women. The capital
also valued in women’s economical life. Women can also be a rational they
should be allowed to think freely. Feminist says:
“Every individual should have liberty.”
2. Marxist Feminism:
Marxist feminism is a Feminism focused on investigating and explaining the

ways in which women are oppressed through the system of Capitalism and
private property.
In capitalist system two types of labor exist:
 Productive or paid:
It is productive because labors have monetary value in this upon their
gods and services from the producers.
 Reproductive or unpaid:
It is unpaid, which is associated with private or personal sphere. They
perform domestic needs of current workers and care for their homes and
family members; and the production of present future workers needed
for the capitalist system.
3. Radical Feminism:
It is a movement that believes sexism is so deeply rooted in the society that
the only cure is to eliminate the concept of gender completely. It rejects the
traditional family system.
Goals or Aims:
 To demonstrate the importance of women.

 To reveal that historically women have been subordinated to men.
 To bring about gender equality.
 To eliminate patriarchy
Major Feminist:
 Mary Wollstonecraft writes “A vindication of the rights of Women” in 1792
 John Stuart Mill writes “The subjection of Women” in 1869
 Margaret Fuller writes “Women in the Nineteenth Century” in 1845
 Virginia Woolf writes “A Room of once Own” in 1929
 Simone de Beauvoir writes “The second Sex” in 1949
 Kate Millet writes “Sexual Politics” in 1969
Features:
 It grew out of women ‘s movement following WWII, this approach
analyzes the representation of women in literature.
 There is general interpretation of literature involves critique of
patriarchy.
o Patriarchy= ideology that privileges masculine ways of thinking
 It is a movement that advocates the rights of women on the ground of
sexual equality.
 Feminist criticism is concerned with less obvious forms of
marginalization such as the exclusion of women writers from the
traditional literary canon.
 In every domain where patriarchy reigns, woman is other: she is
marginalized, defined only by her difference from male norms and
values.
 While biology determines women’s sex (male or female), culture
determines their gender (masculine or feminine).
 All feminist activity, including feminist theory and literary criticism has as
its ultimate goal to change the world by prompting gender equality.
 Gender issues play a part in every aspect of human production and
experience, including the production and experience of literature,
whether we are consciously aware of these issues or not.
 They are considered “Other Sex” due to the gender discrimination.
 Where as in relation of capitalism and feminism, women are working in
a cheap way. They are slaves to slaves.
 In any way it does not; mean to be a feminist, to hate men.
How it is applied in text?

 Observe author ideology in accordance to feminism.
 Carefully read work of author in accordance to the frame of
feminism.
 Note time and condition of women in work or text
 Note status and role of women in society
 Note struggle and suffering of women
 How they overcome?
Conclusion:
Feminist Theory vocal the women of world, it is essential for them as
breathing. This is a collection of movements and ideologies which establish and
defended the political social economic rights for women. This theory is about
the women suffrage. The literature that reflects feminist ideologies and
methods used in practical study of feminism in feminist literature.
“Feminism is radical notion that women

are also Human beings.”

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Feminism:

“Femin-” comes from the latin root word “femina,” meaning

 Second Wave of Feminism:

 Third Wave of Feminism:

Types or Strands of Feminism:

Marxist feminism is a Feminism focused on investigating and explaining the

 To demonstrate the importance of women.

How it is applied in text?

“Feminism is radical notion that women

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