FEMINIST

CRITICISM
FEMINIST
CRITICISM
OBJECTIVES
Feminism is the ideology promoting
equality in rights and opportunities for
women, spanning realms like
education, employment, and cultural
and social spheres. However, it's
crucial to acknowledge the diverse
range of feminist viewpoints
worldwide, so that no one description
can fit all varieties of feminist views.
 First-Wave Feminism

First-Wave Feminism refers to the early

phase of the feminist movement that took
place primarily in the late 19th and early
20th centuries. It was a significant social
and political movement focused on
advocating for the rights and legal
recognition of women, particularly in the
Western world.
 Second-Wave Feminism
The women’s movement of the 1960s and ’70s,
the so-called “second wave” of feminism,
represented a seemingly abrupt break with the
tranquil suburban life pictured in American
popular culture. Yet the roots of the new rebellion
were buried in the frustrations of college-
educated mothers whose discontent impelled
their daughters in a new direction.
 Third-Wave Feminism

Emerging in the 1990s and continuing into the

21st century, third-wave feminism is
characterized by a more intersectional
approach. It recognizes that women's
experiences are influenced by factors like
race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, and
more. It also addresses issues related to body
image, sexuality, and cultural representation.

Liberal Feminism
Liberal feminism is one of
the earliest forms of
feminism and focuses on
achieving gender equality
through legal and political
reform
Marxist Feminism
This perspective combines
Marxist analysis of class
struggle with feminist theory,
emphasizing how capitalism.
Radical Feminism
Radical feminism seeks to
challenge and dismantle
patriarchal systems and
traditional gender roles
entirely.
Intersectional Feminism
Intersectional feminism recognizes
that individuals have multiple
intersecting identities that can
compound their experiences of
discrimination.
 The HANDMAID’S
TALE
The Handmaid's Tale is a dystopian novel by
Margaret Atwood set in a futuristic and totalitarian
society known as Gilead. The story is told from the
perspective of Offred, a woman forced into sexual
servitude as a "handmaid."

In this society, birth rates have plummeted due to

environmental toxins and infertility. A radical group
has taken power and treats women as property.
Fertile women like Offred are coerced into becoming
Handmaids, bearing children for the ruling class of
men and their barren wives.
 Notable characters:
Offred - The protagonist and narrator. Her real
name is June. She is a handmaid assigned to the
Commander and forced into sexual servitude in the
hopes of bearing a child for him and his wife.

The Commander - Offred's master, a high-ranking

official in the totalitarian regime of Gilead. He
initiates an illicit and complex relationship with
Offred. His name is Fred.

Serena Joy - The Commander's wife. Formerly a

conservative cultural activist, now bitter and
resentful of her new status and inability to bear
children. She mistreats Offred.

Nick - The Commander's Guardian, or bodyguard.

He lives above the garage and initiates a secret,
prohibited relationship with Offred.
 Feminist Literary Theories within the Novel
The Handmaid's Tale
LIBERAL FEMINIST
• Offred longs for autonomy and self-determination despite living in a society that severely restricts
women's rights

• She yearns to make choices about her own body and life, such as when she engages in secret
liaisons with the Commander to reclaim some agency over her desires

• Her memories of her past life, where she had a career, husband, and child, contrast her current
reality as a Handmaid, highlighting the loss of individuality and autonomy

• Through Offred's experiences, the story underscores the importance of upholding women's rights to
self-determination

• It warns about the dangers of denying individuals, especially women, the freedom to make choices
about their own lives
 Feminist Literary Theories within the Novel
The Handmaid's Tale
RADICAL FEMINIST
• Handmaids subjected to ritualized rape during "Ceremony" where they are forced to have sex with high-
ranking men in front of wives

• Ceremony is not about pleasure or intimacy but fulfilling duty to produce children for the ruling class

• Extreme control over handmaids' bodies and lives for childbearing reflects radical feminist concerns about
commodification of women's bodies

• Ritual exemplifies systemic oppression of women under patriarchy

• Handmaids reduced to childbearing vessels, their bodies "objectified" for reproduction

• Scenario shows how Gilead's regime exploits female biology for political and ideological ends

• Reinforces radical feminist arguments about women's bodies being dehumanized and instrumentalized
under male domination
 Feminist Literary Theories within the Novel
The Handmaid's Tale
MARXIST FEMINIST
• Handmaids assigned to wealthy Commanders' households to bear children
• Commanders and wives cannot conceive due to infertility
• Handmaids' bodies become means of production for reproduction
• Parallels exploitation of labor under capitalism
• Working class (Handmaids) exploited by bourgeoisie
• (Commanders/wives) for their labor power
• Those in power (Commanders/wives) control and manipulate Handmaids' bodies/reproduction for
their own benefit
• Scenario mirrors how women's reproductive capacity is appropriated under patriarchy for men's
advantage
• Reinforces Marxist feminist arguments about exploitation of female biology resembling exploitation
of proletariat labor under elite capitalist classes
 “Each time a woman stands up for
herself, without knowing it possibly,
without claiming it, she stands up for all
women.”
- Maya Angelou
Thankyou