CRITICISM THEORIES

READER RESPONSE

THEORIES

FEMINISM
READER RESPONSE
 Depending on the person advancing the
concept, the theory may take on any number
of nuanced meanings.

 Suggests that a text gains meaning by the

purposeful act of a reader reading and
interpreting it.
 evaluates interpretive communities.

 Interpretive communities are groups of

critics who have agreed upon certain
elements in a text as being more significant
than others.

 Feminist literary critics, for example, would

prefer texts that support feminist thinking.
Images of the feminine might be of more
interest than predominantly masculine
images.
FEMINISM
 Takes the view that the culture is primarily
patriarchal.

 “A person is not born feminine, as our

society defines it, but rather becomes so
because of cultural conditioning” (Simone de
Beauvoir, n.d.) .
 Claims that paternalist culture stereotypes
pervade works of literature in the canon-
those works generally acknowledged to be
the best and most significant.

 Often subordinate to male characters.

 RELATION BETWEEN THE
CRITICISM THEORIES AND “THE
QUESTION OF DOWRY”
FEMINISM
 Women have to work in the kitchen.

 Have to prepare drinks and wear pretty

clothes to show how decent they are in front
of men.
 Men are more educated than women.

 Men are the breadwinner in the family.

 Women have to consult the men first before

making any decisions.
 Men are more superior than women.

 Even little boy gets the power for not doing

anything because of gender stratification.