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UNIT 6: FEMINISM and GENDER STUDIES

6.0 Intended Learning Outcomes
a. Discuss the basic tenets of Feminist Criticism and Gender studies.
b. Compare and contrast Marxist and Feminist theories.
c. Evaluate a text using feminist lens and create a video presentation about it.

6.1 Introduction
Apart from Marxist criticism, Feminist and Gender studies are also sociological approaches in
literary criticism. While Marxist explores ways in which the text reveals ideological oppression of a
dominant economic class over subordinate classes, the latter theories analyze the role of gender in
works of literature.
In the last unit of this course, we will delve into the definition and historical accounts of
feminism and gender studies which are essential knowledge in doing the literary analysis.

Pre-Activity:

Define the following terms:

Feminism Feminist criticism Feminist theory Misogyny

Binary Opposition Patriarchy Marginalization Queer

Note: This counts towards your recitation.

6.2 Topics
6.2.1 Feminism
6.2.1.1 Feminist Literary Criticism is…
- a literary criticism informed by feminist theory, or more broadly, by the politics
of feminism.
- uses the principles and ideology of feminism to critique the language of
literature.
- 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.
- concerned with "the ways in which literature (and other cultural productions)
reinforce or undermine the economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of
women" (Tyson 83).
- looks at how aspects of our culture are inherently patriarchal (male
dominated) and aims to expose misogyny in writing about women, which can
take explicit and implicit forms. This misogyny, Tyson reminds us, can extend
https://pixabay.com/vectors/feminist- into diverse areas of our culture: "Perhaps the most chilling example...is found in
feminism-woman-s-rights-2923720/ the world of modern medicine, where drugs prescribed for both sexes often have been
tested on male subjects only" (Tyson 85).

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- Feminist criticism is also concerned with less obvious forms of marginalization such as the exclusion
of women writers from the traditional literary canon: "...unless the critical or historical point of view is
feminist, there is a tendency to underrepresent the contribution of women writers" (Tyson 84).

- Feminist critics analyze the role of gender in works of literature. Leading critic Elaine Showalter describes
two purposes of feminist criticism:
1. Feminist critique: The analysis of works by male authors, especially in the depiction of
women’s writing.
2. Gynocriticism: The study of women’s writing.

6.2.1.2 Common Space in Feminist Theories

Though a number of different approaches exist in feminist criticism, there exist some areas
of commonality. This list is excerpted from Tyson (92):
1. Women are oppressed by patriarchy economically, politically, socially, and psychologically;
patriarchal ideology is the primary means by which women are oppressed.
2. In every domain where patriarchy reigns, woman is other: she is marginalized, defined only
by her difference from male norms and values.
3. All of Western (Anglo-European) civilization is deeply rooted in patriarchal ideology, for
example, in the Biblical portrayal of Eve as the origin of sin and death in the world.
4. While biology determines our sex (male or female), culture determines our gender (scales of
masculine and feminine).
5. All feminist activity, including feminist theory and literary criticism, has as its ultimate goal to
change the world by prompting gender equality.
6. 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.

6.2.1.3 History of Feminism

Feminist criticism has, in many ways, followed what some theorists call the three waves of
feminism:
1. First Wave Feminism early 1990s-present: writers like Mary Wollstonecraft (A Vindication of
the Rights of Women, 1792) highlight the inequalities between the sexes. Activists like Susan
B. Anthony and Victoria Woodhull contribute to the women's suffrage movement, which leads
to National Universal Suffrage in 1920 with the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment.
2. Second Wave Feminism - early 1960s-late 1970s: building on more equal working conditions
necessary in America during World War II, movements such as the National Organization for
Women (NOW), formed in 1966, cohere feminist political activism. Writers like Simone de
Beauvoir (Le Deuxième Sexe, 1949) and Elaine Showalter established the groundwork for the
dissemination of feminist theories dove-tailed with the American Civil Rights movement.
3. Third Wave Feminism - early 1990s-present: resisting the perceived essentialist (over
generalized, over simplified) ideologies and a white, heterosexual, middle class focus of
second wave feminism, third wave feminism borrows from post-structural and contemporary
gender and race theories (see below) to expand on marginalized populations' experiences.
Writers like Alice Walker work to "...reconcile it [feminism] with the concerns of the black
community...[and] the survival and wholeness of her people, men and women both, and for
the promotion of dialog and community as well as for the valorization of women and of all the
varieties of work women perform" (Tyson 107).

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To know more about Marxist Criticism, please watch a short clip entitled “The Three Waves
of Feminism” through this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWXc7qAlrbQ

6.2.1.4 Feminist Criticism’s Goals

Ultimately, feminist criticism, like the broader feminist movement itself, asks us to consider
the relationships between men and women and their relative roles in society. Much of feminist
criticism reminds us that men and women's roles in society are often unequal and reflective of a particular
patriarchal ideology, and these realities are often represented in both the production of literature and literary
texts themselves.
Deborah Appleman, a Professor of Education Studies at Carleton College, says, "Feminist
theorists ask readers to pay particular attention to the patterns of thought, behavior, values, and
power in [male-female] relationships. Feminist literary critics remind us that literary values,
conventions, and even the production of literature, have themselves been historically shaped by men. They
invite us to consider writings by women, both new and forgotten, and also ask us to consider viewing familiar
literature through a feminist perspective."
By considering literature and the world around us from a feminist perspective, feminist
critics seek to make us more aware of our societies' attitudes towards women, especially in cases where
current attitudes harm or otherwise marginalize women.
By recognizing women's value and their contributions to literature and society, feminist
criticism seeks to elevate women to their rightful place in society as contributors to and important elements
of literary works and society writ large.

6.2.1.5 The Practice of Feminist Criticism

Feminist criticism is applied to literature by examining the characters' portrayals, the text's
language, the author's attitude, and the inter-character relationships. Feminist critics also consider
the author's apparent commentary about society as a whole.

Some questions that feminist critics may ask include:

• How is the relationship between men and women portrayed?
• What are the power relationships between men and women (or characters assuming
male/female roles)?
• How are male and female roles defined?
• What constitutes masculinity and femininity?
• How do characters embody these traits?
• Do characters take on traits from opposite genders? How so? How does this change others’
reactions to them?
• What does the work reveal about the operations (economically, politically, socially, or
psychologically) of patriarchy?
• What does the work imply about the possibilities of sisterhood as a mode of resisting
patriarchy?
• What does the work say about women's creativity?
• What does the history of the work's reception by the public and by the critics tell us about
the operation of patriarchy?
• What role does the work play in terms of women's literary history and literary tradition?
(Tyson)

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6.2.1.6 How to Write a Feminist Analysis
A feminist criticism is a careful analysis of the feminist issues, represented in a text which are
basically concerned with the images of the female characters and their role in the narration. There
are a number of standard aspects you can focus on, while exploring the view of the author on
women, expressed in his work.

1. Prepare sketches of the female characters. For this you need to single out all the information
the narrator gives us about them – their background, childhood, sexuality, work, and outlook
on the world. The better you get to know the characters, the easier it will be to draw
conclusions about them.
2. Compare and contrast the female heroines to their male counterparts. Their opposition is of
vital importance for feminist criticism. While contrasting them, it is recommended to take into
account the historical period of time, depicted in a text, and decide whether the relationship,
shown between the male and female characters, was typical for that time or not, and, probably,
indicate the reasons for this. What is more, it can help you learn the views of the writer on the
ideal situation with women, as it can give you a key to understanding the female characters.
3. Analyze the conversations between men and women, their attitude to each other and their
overall role in the book. Make sure you examine the views that men and women in the book
express concerning females.

All in all, the more detailed and argumentative your analysis is, the better impression it will
produce on the readers. Therefore, examine various aspects and questions, since it will help you
get a complete picture of the piece.

6.2.1.7 Model Analysis

To better understand the sample analysis below, read first “ The Story of an Hour” by Kate
Chopin. (See copy of the text in Appendix D)

Feminist View of Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour"

By: Deb Contreras

About Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin born on February 8, 1850 is credited for being one
of the first popular feminist authors of the 20th century and
introducing this movement in literature. After the death of her
husband, Kate moved in with her mother who shortly died thereafter.
She was left alone raising her children and suffered from depression.
Nevertheless, her doctor and friend recommended her to fight
depression by writing. They advised her that writing would be
therapeutic, healing and that it could ultimately provide her with
much needed income.
By the 1890’s Kate began writing short stories that constantly
appeared in literary magazines. Chopin had a beautiful gift with her
words, she used irony in her writing to reveal a strong hidden
SOURCE: https://www.microsoft.com/en-
ph/p/stories-by-kate-chopin message against the traditional roles of women. She was never credited
for her work as a novelist which caused her discouragement for not being
accepted as an author. She was also considered to be too far ahead of her time. She ultimately turned
to writing hundreds of short stories that incorporated the realities of women’s rights and their
portrayal in society.

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A Feminist Perspective SOURCE: https://ourshortstorychoices.weebly.com/the-

story-of-an-hour.html

In the short story, Chopin reveals a deep-rooted

problem women faced in marital relationships. Even
though, Chopin did not think of herself as a feminist, she
often depicted women in unequal roles in their marriages.
As in "The Story of an Hour" she plotted the idea that
women were oppressed through unhappy marriages.
Through this idea, she voiced out that marriages were
institutions that put restraints upon women. Husbands
held the power and often imposed their will onto their
wives. The wives had no other choice but to bend to the
husband's will. Even if the husband were gentle men,
women had no sense of freedom or individuality and
were inferior to men. Unfortunately, women had no
control over their lives, they were slaves whose only main
priority was to live for their owner (husband) rather than
themselves. Thus, it brought an unhealthy balance
between both in society and marriage.

About Marriage

In "The Story of an Hour,” we are told that the

protagonist suffers from a heart condition and she was
carefully informed of her husband Brently's death. In the course of an hour, we see the protagonist
named Louise as a weak person become into a stronger woman. She contemplates her newly found
independence and is delighted over thought of being free. This surprising reaction reflects the feeling
women had in the late 19th century had towards marriage. Through this, Chopin voices that marriage
meant men had total control over women. The women were not allowed to have their own identity,
thoughts or purpose.
In Louise's case, her husband’s death frees her from the restraint of marriage. Her once
forbidden pleasure of independence will no longer hold her back. For just an hour, Louise
experiences and praises her freedom that is no longer chained to her husband's control. As she looks
out the window, we realize how marriage made her into someone who did not have an identity. She
has lived a life that has given her limitations, that she was only her husband's wife and nothing more.
She believed for a brief moment that she no longer has a man that will "[bend her] in that blind
persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a
fellow-creature." This demonstrates that patriarchal ideology that was the norm in the late 19th
century.

Conclusion
Louise was an example of an average housewife who was not allowed her own identity and
freedom. I believe Kate had connection with the story and the main character. When Louise felt a
brief moment of sadness of her husband’s death and then have it replaced with happiness, this reveals
how truly Kate felt when she heard the news of her husband’s death. Kate felt restrained in her
marriage, even though she truly loved her husband, she was not happy. Even though, "The Story of
an Hour" is a fiction story, it speaks loud about the life of women in the late 19th century.

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6.2.2 Gender Studies and Queer Theory (1970s-present)
6.2.2.1 Gender(s), Power, and Marginalization
Gender criticism is an extension of feminist literary
criticism, focusing not just on women but on the construction
of gender and sexuality, especially LGBTQ issues, which gives
rise to queer theory. Gender criticism suggests that power is not
just top down or patriarchal—a man dominating a woman; it
suggests that power is multifaceted and never just in one
direction.

Queer Theory
Queer theory is a term that emerged in the late 1980s
for a body of criticism on issues of gender, sexuality,
SOURCE: https://gws.uic.edu/academics/courses/gws-
and subjectivity that came out of gay and lesbian scholarship
breadth-courses/gws-362/ in such fields as literary criticism, politics, sociology, and
history. Queer theory rejects essentialism in favor of social
construction; it breaks down binary oppositions such as “gay” or “straight”; while it follows those
postmodernists, who declared the death of the self, it simultaneously attempts to rehabilitate a subjectivity
that allows for sexual and political agency. Some of the most significant authors associated
with queer theory include Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Judith Butler, Michael Warner, and Wayne
Koestenbaum (Encyclopedia of Postmodernism, in Credo Reference).
Gender studies and queer theory both explore issues of sexuality, power, and marginalized
populations (woman as other) in literature and culture. Much of the work in gender studies and queer
theory, while influenced by feminist criticism, emerges from post-structural interest in fragmented, de-
centered knowledge building (Nietzsche, Derrida, Foucault), language (the breakdown of sign-signifier),
and psychoanalysis (Lacan).
A primary concern in gender studies and queer theory is the manner in which gender and
sexuality is discussed:
"Effective as this work [feminism] was in changing what teachers taught and what the students
read, there was a sense on the part of some feminist critics that...it was still the old game that was being
played, when what it needed was a new game entirely. The argument posed was that in order to counter
patriarchy, it was necessary not merely to think about new texts, but to think about them in radically new
ways" (Richter 1432).
Therefore, a critic working in gender studies and queer theory might even be uncomfortable with
the binary established by many feminist scholars between masculine and feminine:
"Cixous (following Derrida in of Grammatology) sets up a series of binary oppositions
(active/passive, sun/moon...father/mother, logos/pathos). Each pair can be analyzed as a hierarchy in which
the former term represents the positive and masculine and the latter the negative and feminine principle"
(Richter 1433-1434).

In-Betweens
Many critics working with gender and queer theory are interested in the breakdown of binaries
such as male and female, the in-betweens.
For example, gender studies and queer theory maintains that cultural definitions of sexuality and
what it means to be male and female are in flux: "...the distinction between "masculine" and "feminine"
activities and behavior is constantly changing, so that women who wear baseball caps and fatigues...can be perceived
as more piquantly sexy by some heterosexual men than those women who wear white frocks and gloves and look
down demurely" (Richter 1437).
Moreover, Richter reminds us that as we learn more about our genetic structure, the biology of
male/female becomes increasingly complex and murky: "even the physical dualism of sexual genetic

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structures and bodily parts breaks down when one considers those instances - XXY syndromes, natural sexual
bimorphisms, as well as surgical transsexuals - that defy attempts at binary classification" (1437).

6.2.2.2 Typical Questions when Using Gender/ Queer Theory

• What elements of the text can be perceived as being masculine (active, powerful) and feminine
(passive, marginalized) and how do the characters support these traditional roles?
• What sort of support (if any) is given to elements or characters who question the
masculine/feminine binary? What happens to those elements/characters?
• What elements in the text exist in the middle, between the perceived masculine/feminine
binary? In other words, what elements exhibit traits of both (bisexual)?
• How does the author present the text? Is it a traditional narrative? Is it secure and forceful? Or
is it more hesitant or even collaborative?
• What are the politics (ideological agendas) of specific gay, lesbian, or queer works, and how
are those politics revealed in... the work's thematic content or portrayals of its characters?
• What are the poetics (literary devices and strategies) of a specific lesbian, gay, or queer works?
• What does the work contribute to our knowledge of queer, gay, or lesbian experience and
history, including literary history?
• How is queer, gay, or lesbian experience coded in texts that are by writers who are apparently
homosexual?
• What does the work reveal about the operations (socially, politically, psychologically)
homophobic?
• How does the literary text illustrate the problematics of sexuality and sexual "identity," that is
the ways in which human sexuality does not fall neatly into the separate categories defined by
the words homosexual and heterosexual?

6.2.2.3 Gender Studies Scholars

Here is a list of scholars we encourage you to explore to further your understanding of this theory:
• Luce Irigaray - Speculum of the Other Woman, 1974
• Hélène Cixous - "The Laugh of the Medusa," 1976
• Laura Mulvey - "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," 1975; "Afterthoughts on Visual Pleasure
and Narrative Cinema," 1981
• Michel Foucault - The History of Sexuality, Volume I, 1980
• Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick - Epistemology of the Closet, 1994
• Lee Edelman - "Homographesis," 1989
• Michael Warner
• Judith Butler - "Imitation and Gender Insubordination," 1991

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Like Marxist, Feminist and Gender studies are also sociological theories in literary criticism.

- Feminist criticism analyzes the role of gender in works of literature. It has two purposes: a)
the analysis of works by male authors, especially in the depiction of women’s writing; and
b) the study of women’s writing.

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- Feminist criticism is influenced by the three waves of feminism.
- Gender studies and queer theory both explore issues of sexuality, power, and marginalized
populations (woman as other) in literature and culture.
- There are typical questions which you can use as guide in doing literary analysis using
feminist and gender lens.

Congratulations! You are now done with all the lessons in ENG 20 – Literary Criticism! 😊

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

EVALUATION #6
Name: _________________________________________ Program, Year & Section: ______________
Professor: _______________________________________Date of Submission: __________________

A. COMPREHENSION CHECK UP: Individual Task

(Note: This will be credited towards your term requirement)

1. Explain the basic tenets of the following literary theories: (5 pts. each = 10 pts.)
1.1 Feminist theory; and
1.2 Queer theory.
2. Using Venn Diagram, compare and contrast Marxist and Feminist literary approaches. (10
pts.)

3. When analyzing a text using feminist lens, do we need to consider the historical context of a
story? Justify your answer. (5 pts.)

HOW TO PREPARE & SEND OUTPUTS?

1. Encode answers in a legal-size paper (specification: font: Times New Roman, double-space)
2. After proofreading your paper, save it in PDF file. File name of the document must follow
this format: BSED-ENG 3 LP4 TERM REQUIREMENT (NAME)
3. Send your output via GOOGLE FORM LINK.
4. Deadline: Monday, May 17, 2021 @ 8:00AM

B. APPLICATION: Team Task

(Note: This serves as your final project)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Form a group with four (4) members.
2. Look for a story with gender-related theme written by a Filipino author.
3. Evaluate the story using any of the following: Feminist, Gender or Queer theory.
4. Create a 5-minute video presentation of your literary analysis, following the format below:
A. Introduction (Background of the story and author)
B. Synopsis of the story
C. Analysis of the story
D. Conclusion

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HOW TO SEND OUTPUT?
1. Post your video in ENG 20 FB GROUP.
2. Write a one-paragraph description of your video. Below the description, write
the names of the video creators. You may add your own hashtag statements.
3. Deadline: Friday, May 21, 2021 @ 8:00AM
RUBRIC FOR LITERARY ANALYSIS VIDEO PRESENTATION:
INDICATORS EXCELLENT (5)
Literary The literary analysis focuses on
Analysis nuanced meaning implicit in the
(point value is X3) text. It provides persuasive
textual evidence that enables
the readers to perceive new
layers of meaning in the text; it
explores the historical,
sociological and cultural
contexts of the literary text.
Creativity The team presents their video
(point value is X2) presentation in an extremely
unique, original, and creative
way. It catches the viewer's
attention and holds their
interest.
Organization The team's information in the
(point value is X2) video presentation is organized,
follows the prescribed format.
The transitions are smooth and
the material is easy to
comprehend.
Editorial/ The voice over script is well-
Script written and gives a complete
account of the events of the
case.
Graphics Project has appropriate graphics.
The graphics enhance the
project and are well placed and
thought out.
Project shows great effort, and
the graphics help tell the story of
the case.
Deadline Finished project turned in before
or on deadline.
SCORE
Adapted from: https://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?code=C2CB84&sp=yes
FAIR (3)
The literary analysis focuses
on explicit features of the
text. It provides sufficient
textual evidence, but it does
not analyze that evidence as
carefully and thoroughly as
it might; it slightly situates
the text within its historical
and cultural context.
The team presents their
video presentation in a
basic way that tries to
capture the viewer's
attention.
The team's information in
the video presentation has a
general order and flow. The
presentation deviated from
the given format.
The voice over script is
poorly written and leaves
the audience confused.
Project has many graphics.
Some graphics are not
appropriate for the content
of the case. Timing of the
graphics need work. More
graphics would improve the
quality of the presentation.
Finished project turned in a
day after the deadline.
TOTAL
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POOR (1)
The literary analysis focuses on
plot summary and description.
It provides insufficient textual
evidence.
The team's video presentation
is not presented in an original
or creative way. The
information is read to the
viewers and fails to present the
information in an interesting
format.
The team's information is not
organized in any manner and
lacks a flow of conversation.
No voice over is included.
Project has only a few graphics
that help tell the story. Some
graphics are inappropriate for
the content of the case.
Finished project turned in two
days after the deadline.
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6.3 References

Appleman, D. (19 February 2007). Through Rose-Colored Glasses: The Feminist Lens.
https://apps.carleton.edu/people/appleman/talksworkshops/workshop_handouts/rose_color
ed/
Contreras, D. (9 March 2018). Feminist View of Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour.”
https://owlcation.com/humanities/Feminist-View-of-Kate-Chopins-Story-of-an-Hour

Dobie, A.B. (2012). Theory into Practice: An Introduction to Literary Criticism (Third Edition). Cengage
Learning
O’Connor, K. (2021). Feminist Approaches to Literature. http://writersinspire.org/content/feminist-
approaches-literature
Pagliawan, D.L. (2017). Literary Criticism: A Resource, A Guide, A Reader. Texts and Visuals
Yang, L. (n.d.). Feminist Criticism: Literature and Theory. https://fairygodboss.com/career-
topics/feminist-criticism

6.4 Acknowledgment
The images, tables, figures and information contained in this module were taken from the
references cited above.

C. M. D. Hamo-ay