feminism

                Feminism

         Here my view about the what is Feminism?

Definition:-

According to Universal Dictionary,

“feminism is a social movement that seeks to change the traditional role and image of a women to eliminate sexism and to heighten appreciation of the experience and qualities unique to the female sex….”

             Feminism has very slow development around 1880s. the French lady Hurbatine Aucclet had used the words ‘feminist’ and ‘feminine’ for the first time later on it becomes feminism in sociology and literature . French feminist Toril Moi had defined and differentiated  three terms which are at the centre of entire feminist movement.

1)          Female

2)          Feminism

3)          Feminist

·    History of Feminism:-

-       The 1^st wave of feminism began in the late 17^th century. Aphra Behn  considered to be the first published women writer other words that followed with feminist ideas are as under;

·    ‘a vindication of the right of women’

            Mary Woolstone Craft

·    ‘the subjection of women’

                    John Start Mill

 These words talk about equality and the need for change. Later, more women writers had started writings.

Example:

 Bronte Sisters , Jane Austen and George Eliot

          Majority of the works by this writers focused on the domestic problems and affairs of the home.

-       The 2^nd wave of the feminism came in 1960-70 was characterized by political movement for equality suffrage and employment opportunities. During this wave the older women fought for individual right and liberty while the younger women fought for collective rights. After discussing the above waves of feminism , the critics have divided feminist into two categories:

1)          Activist

2)          Academics

      The activist fought for political rights where as the academics have write feminist theory and feminist writing.

   Literature is concerned with the academic feminism. Literature can be studied from a feminist prospective. A feminist reading of any work in literature generally examine the place of women in literature and in society. Moreover the feminist reading of any work check-out the style and structure of society.  Where female is considered weak and insignificant.

·    The Academic Feminism

       Academic feminism is divided into two feminist’s theory , feminist writing and feminist’s criticism. In academic feminism the writers have written about those aspects which are practiced by activist through their action, according to Kathleen.B.Jones,

“feminist theory is a philosophical analysis of concept of gender and the meaning of sexual different”

             There are some of the world famous feminist works in English literature. There are as  below

“ A room of one’s own”

                         ~ Virginia Woolf

      This work is considered as “the bible of feminism”.

 “ thinking about women”

                          ~ Mary Ellman

       This book discusses the stereotype  of women in literature written by male writers.

“second sex”

            ~ Simon-de-Beauvoir

     This work radically critic the treatment of women as secondary and negative object.

·    Types of Feminism

   There are main six type of feminism like,

1} Eco-feminism

2} Marxist feminism

3} liberal feminism

4} Radical feminism

5} Psychoanalytic feminism

6} Mythic feminism

       However, Marxist feminism takes about inspiration from the work of Bebel. The title of the book,

“women under socialism”

        Marxist feminism fights for equal economic right.

      In mythic feminism the women writers studied the ancient myths and create their own interpretation. They give a new explanation and development  to the mythic female characters. Even they prove that myths are “Andocentric”.

Example:-

       “Dropdi”

                     ~ Maha Swetadevi