Feminist Criticism Of Jane Eyre And The Handmaid's Tale
Abstract
Feminism is a belief in the cultural, social, economic, and political equality of women. It is a term used to describe the cultural phenomena linked with the position of women in the patriarchal society. Feminism arose in three waves. The first wave was concerned with women�s suffrage. The second wave was a reaction to the working conditions necessary in America during the Second World War. The Third Wave was mostly focused on intervening in problems that were still present in society including the lack of women in positions of power and sexual harassment in the workplace. These three waves have been followed by what is called feminist criticism which deals with the ways in which literature reinforces or undermines the economic, social, political, or psychological oppression of women. Taking this into consideration, Jane Eyre and The Handmaid�s Tale will be analyzed from a feminist perspective, focusing on the relationship between men and women portrayed in the novels and designating the power relationships between men and women. These two novels are first and foremost a portrayal of how women�s and men�s roles are defined in society. From this perspective, the novels shed light on the characters taking on traits of the opposite gender and the possibility of sisterhood as a method of resisting patriarchy.
Keywords
feminist criticism, feminist waves, women, men, Third Wave, equality
Authors
MSc. Adelajda Shima
Beder University College
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