20th Century Literature
In the 1900's women began taking influence from the 19th century writers to explore more deeply into the issues facing women
1929
A Room of One's Own is an extended essay by Virginia Woolf. The essay deals with themes such as; Women's access to education, the history of female writers, a reference to a 16th century ballad where women were to be hanged outside of marriage, and lesbianism. The text is generally seen as argument for women's space both literal and figuratively in the literary world which is dominated by men. In one section there is a character called Judith Shakespeare who was representative of William Shakespeare's sister, gifted with the same abilities of her brother, she would have been denied opportunities as the time would not allow for a woman to be that prestigious.
information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Room_of_One%27s_Own
A Room of One's Own is an extended essay by Virginia Woolf. The essay deals with themes such as; Women's access to education, the history of female writers, a reference to a 16th century ballad where women were to be hanged outside of marriage, and lesbianism. The text is generally seen as argument for women's space both literal and figuratively in the literary world which is dominated by men. In one section there is a character called Judith Shakespeare who was representative of William Shakespeare's sister, gifted with the same abilities of her brother, she would have been denied opportunities as the time would not allow for a woman to be that prestigious.
information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Room_of_One%27s_Own
1963
Although originally written under the pen name of Victoria Lucas, in 1967 it was published under Plath's name. Semi-autobiographical with names of people and places changed. Like The Yellow Wallpaper this story deals with the protagonists decent into mental illness. The protagonist is a young girl from the suburbs of Boston and has a internship in New York City for a magazine, but she is not excited about nor stimulated by the city or the glamorous lifestyle surrounding it. She gets kicked off the internship program and returns to Massachusetts hoping for another academic opportunity, specifically a writing course taught by a famous author. However, she is not accepted and is unsure of what to do, she wants to write a novel however feels she lacks life experience to write convincingly. As her life had been centered around her academic achievements Esther (the protagonist) descends into depression. As her mental stability worsens she describes it as being trapped in a bell jar. Her psychiatrist prescribes an electro-convulsive therapy to hopefully lift her metaphorical bell jar. She describes how she envies the freedom of men, and her psychiatrist fits her with a diaphragm to give her more freedom. Esther regains her sanity, and the book alludes to Esther going on to have children. Focusing on the struggles women face from their domestication roles at home, and they're lack of expressive freedom.
informaton from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bell_Jar
Although originally written under the pen name of Victoria Lucas, in 1967 it was published under Plath's name. Semi-autobiographical with names of people and places changed. Like The Yellow Wallpaper this story deals with the protagonists decent into mental illness. The protagonist is a young girl from the suburbs of Boston and has a internship in New York City for a magazine, but she is not excited about nor stimulated by the city or the glamorous lifestyle surrounding it. She gets kicked off the internship program and returns to Massachusetts hoping for another academic opportunity, specifically a writing course taught by a famous author. However, she is not accepted and is unsure of what to do, she wants to write a novel however feels she lacks life experience to write convincingly. As her life had been centered around her academic achievements Esther (the protagonist) descends into depression. As her mental stability worsens she describes it as being trapped in a bell jar. Her psychiatrist prescribes an electro-convulsive therapy to hopefully lift her metaphorical bell jar. She describes how she envies the freedom of men, and her psychiatrist fits her with a diaphragm to give her more freedom. Esther regains her sanity, and the book alludes to Esther going on to have children. Focusing on the struggles women face from their domestication roles at home, and they're lack of expressive freedom.
informaton from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bell_Jar
1963
Betty Friedan's Feminine Mystique is regarded as sparking the second wave of feminism. It begins with what Friedan calls "problem that has no name" which was the unhappiness of many women in the 50's and 60's despite their ability to have children and be married comfortably. She points out the magazine portrayal of unhappy women who had careers and happy housewives. Which she illuminates the contrast to the 1930's magazine heroines who were depicted as independent and career holders. Friedan goes on to discuss the educational system for women changing in the 40's switching from less challenging classes to things such as domestic education. She cited this change as halted girls emotional development at a young age, as they never had to face their identity and grow into an independent adult. Friedan criticizes the advertisers for marketing "specialized products" for the housewives to make them seem like professional house keepers instead of pursuing careers as to line corporations pockets. Her entire book alludes to all the things that make up "The Feminine Mystique" - the idea that women are intended to be housewives and domestic beings.
Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Feminine_Mystique
Betty Friedan's Feminine Mystique is regarded as sparking the second wave of feminism. It begins with what Friedan calls "problem that has no name" which was the unhappiness of many women in the 50's and 60's despite their ability to have children and be married comfortably. She points out the magazine portrayal of unhappy women who had careers and happy housewives. Which she illuminates the contrast to the 1930's magazine heroines who were depicted as independent and career holders. Friedan goes on to discuss the educational system for women changing in the 40's switching from less challenging classes to things such as domestic education. She cited this change as halted girls emotional development at a young age, as they never had to face their identity and grow into an independent adult. Friedan criticizes the advertisers for marketing "specialized products" for the housewives to make them seem like professional house keepers instead of pursuing careers as to line corporations pockets. Her entire book alludes to all the things that make up "The Feminine Mystique" - the idea that women are intended to be housewives and domestic beings.
Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Feminine_Mystique
1968
Sexual Politics is a book by Kate Millet based on her PhD dissertation ( P. T. Clough (1994). The Hybrid Criticism of Patriarchy: Rereading Kate Millett's "Sexual Politics".) In her book Millet argues that "sex has a frequently neglected political aspect." She further discuses the role of patriarchy in sexual relations. Millet looks upon the works of certain male authors and describes their discussion and view of sex as patriarchal and sexist. The book is said to be one of the first works of academic feminist literary criticism, it too was a spark for the second wave feminism
Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_Politics
Sexual Politics is a book by Kate Millet based on her PhD dissertation ( P. T. Clough (1994). The Hybrid Criticism of Patriarchy: Rereading Kate Millett's "Sexual Politics".) In her book Millet argues that "sex has a frequently neglected political aspect." She further discuses the role of patriarchy in sexual relations. Millet looks upon the works of certain male authors and describes their discussion and view of sex as patriarchal and sexist. The book is said to be one of the first works of academic feminist literary criticism, it too was a spark for the second wave feminism
Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_Politics
1969
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is an autobiographical fiction depicting the early life of author Maya Angelou over coming racial prejudice. The autobiographical element of this book covers topics such as; racism, rape, identity, and literacy. She also covered the lives of women in a patriarchal society. The brief description of her rape as an eight year old girl overwhelms the entire book and stands out as a metaphor for the treatment of her race. The other prominent metaphor, the caged bird, is representative of resisting racial oppression. Over the course of the book Maya overcomes trauma and oppression through literature. She fears she may be a lesbian during her last year of high school and decides to engage in intercourse with a boy and she ends up getting pregnant. She hides from her family and has her child at the end of the book .
Information from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Know_Why_the_Caged_Bird_Sings
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is an autobiographical fiction depicting the early life of author Maya Angelou over coming racial prejudice. The autobiographical element of this book covers topics such as; racism, rape, identity, and literacy. She also covered the lives of women in a patriarchal society. The brief description of her rape as an eight year old girl overwhelms the entire book and stands out as a metaphor for the treatment of her race. The other prominent metaphor, the caged bird, is representative of resisting racial oppression. Over the course of the book Maya overcomes trauma and oppression through literature. She fears she may be a lesbian during her last year of high school and decides to engage in intercourse with a boy and she ends up getting pregnant. She hides from her family and has her child at the end of the book .
Information from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Know_Why_the_Caged_Bird_Sings
1977
The Combahee River Collective was a black feminist lesbian organization addressing white feminists and their lack of recognizing the problems that other races womens may face. They developed the Combahee River Collective Statement becoming an important document for black feminism as well as defining the concepts of identity. It's divided into four sections: the genesis of contemporary black feminism, what the CRC believe, problems in organizing black feminists, and black feminist projects and issues. The first section outlines the beginings of their ideals and where they come from. Secondly the group saw "black feminism as the logical political movement to combat the manifold and simultaneous oppressions that all women of color face" (Combahee River Collective, "A Black Feminist Statement," in Capitalist Patriarchy and the Case for Socialist Feminism). The third section desscribes that problems organizing stem from the lack of priviledge they have compared to the white feminists. The last section argues that black feminism should address more than the concerns of just black females, but also the issues surronding the lives of women, the third world, and working class people.
Combahee River Collective Statement
information from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combahee_River_Collective
The Combahee River Collective was a black feminist lesbian organization addressing white feminists and their lack of recognizing the problems that other races womens may face. They developed the Combahee River Collective Statement becoming an important document for black feminism as well as defining the concepts of identity. It's divided into four sections: the genesis of contemporary black feminism, what the CRC believe, problems in organizing black feminists, and black feminist projects and issues. The first section outlines the beginings of their ideals and where they come from. Secondly the group saw "black feminism as the logical political movement to combat the manifold and simultaneous oppressions that all women of color face" (Combahee River Collective, "A Black Feminist Statement," in Capitalist Patriarchy and the Case for Socialist Feminism). The third section desscribes that problems organizing stem from the lack of priviledge they have compared to the white feminists. The last section argues that black feminism should address more than the concerns of just black females, but also the issues surronding the lives of women, the third world, and working class people.
Combahee River Collective Statement
information from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combahee_River_Collective
1980
Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence is an essay by Adrienne Rich, written to inspire change about lesbian visibility. Rich argues that heterosexuality is not "natural" or "instinctive" but rather a socially constructed norm based on what institutions teach. It was crafted in an attempt for heterosexual feminists to examine its contents and recognize heterosexuality as a political institution which degrades women and make an effort to change it. It is described as a political institution as it grants males "right of physical, economical, and emotional access" to women. She also argues that the lesbian experience is an act of resistance to patriarchal society. She also goes on to say that while homosexual men have shared similar oppression, to group them in the same group is blatant disregard for the female existence.
the essay is Here
information from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_Heterosexuality_and_Lesbian_Existence
Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence is an essay by Adrienne Rich, written to inspire change about lesbian visibility. Rich argues that heterosexuality is not "natural" or "instinctive" but rather a socially constructed norm based on what institutions teach. It was crafted in an attempt for heterosexual feminists to examine its contents and recognize heterosexuality as a political institution which degrades women and make an effort to change it. It is described as a political institution as it grants males "right of physical, economical, and emotional access" to women. She also argues that the lesbian experience is an act of resistance to patriarchal society. She also goes on to say that while homosexual men have shared similar oppression, to group them in the same group is blatant disregard for the female existence.
the essay is Here
information from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_Heterosexuality_and_Lesbian_Existence
1991
Naomi Wolf explains that as social power and prominence of women have increased, their pressure to adhere to social standards such as physical beauty has also increased due to commercial influences on the mass media. This increased pressure is causing unhealthy habits and too great of an importance of physical appearance in both sexes, and it is also detrimental to women's effectiveness in and acceptance by society. Wolf states that though women may have more money and more power women would rather lose ten to fifteen pounds than to achieve any other goal, and in terms of happiness about ones body, the women of today may be worse off than their grandmothers. Wolf argues that women are under the power of the beauty myth in five areas of life: work, religion, sex, violence, and hunger. Her goal is a relaxation on the "standards of beauty"
Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beauty_Myth
Naomi Wolf explains that as social power and prominence of women have increased, their pressure to adhere to social standards such as physical beauty has also increased due to commercial influences on the mass media. This increased pressure is causing unhealthy habits and too great of an importance of physical appearance in both sexes, and it is also detrimental to women's effectiveness in and acceptance by society. Wolf states that though women may have more money and more power women would rather lose ten to fifteen pounds than to achieve any other goal, and in terms of happiness about ones body, the women of today may be worse off than their grandmothers. Wolf argues that women are under the power of the beauty myth in five areas of life: work, religion, sex, violence, and hunger. Her goal is a relaxation on the "standards of beauty"
Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beauty_Myth