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نظرية الأدب النسوي
هذا الكتاب هو تأريخ شامل لمختلف تيارات واتجاهات الأدب النسوي ومذاهبه وأعلامه ورواده في كل البلاد الناطقة باللغة الإنجليزية.
687 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 1986
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About the author
Mary Eagleton
11 books12 followersMary Eagleton is Professor of Contemporary Women’s Writing at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. She has published extensively in the field of feminist literary theory and contemporary women’s writing, including Feminist Literary Criticism (1991), Working With Feminist Criticism (Wiley-Blackwell, 1996), A Concise Companion to Feminist Theory (Wiley-Blackwell, 2003) and Figuring the Woman Author in Contemporary Fiction (2005). She is founding Co-editor of the journal, Contemporary Women’s Writing.
Formerly a Professor in the School of Cultural Studies at Leeds Metropolitan University, Mary Eagleton’s interests lie in contemporary women’s writing and the history of feminist literary criticism. She has developing interests in the work of Pierre Bourdieu and women’s relation to intellectualism. Recent publications include A Concise Companion to Feminist Theory (Blackwell, 2003) and Figuring the Woman Author in Contemporary Fiction (Palgrave, 2005), a study of the continuing fascination of the woman author as a character in contemporary fiction, and the third edition of Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011).
Formerly a Professor in the School of Cultural Studies at Leeds Metropolitan University, Mary Eagleton’s interests lie in contemporary women’s writing and the history of feminist literary criticism. She has developing interests in the work of Pierre Bourdieu and women’s relation to intellectualism. Recent publications include A Concise Companion to Feminist Theory (Blackwell, 2003) and Figuring the Woman Author in Contemporary Fiction (Palgrave, 2005), a study of the continuing fascination of the woman author as a character in contemporary fiction, and the third edition of Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011).
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 31, 2014
A. Introduction
1. This book attempts to understand feminist literary theory since 1970 (The year when Millet’s Sexual Politics was published). FLC is pluralistic, there is no one defining method or belief. But, this is a good thing because FLC draws on many theoretical positions (Marx, Foucault, Kristeva, Derrida, Freud) and diversity fuels further debate. This ongoing debate is captured in this book by presenting a series of dialogues between two authors.
2. The debate between Feminism and critical theory. Some feminists see theory as a male practice and something to avoid. To them theory is impersonal, objective and male while the study of experience is personal, subjective and female. However, other feminists adopt Marxist, post-structurlaist, and psychoanalytical theories because they claim that you can never be outside of theory. It is utopian they believe to look for a experiential, non-theoretical space.
3. Woolf/Showalter/Moi. This debate between the pro and anti theorists provides a way to understand the debate over Woolf by Showalter and Moi. Showalter takes more the anti-theoretical stance.
4. Anglo-American feminism (Showalter)/French feminism (Moi).
a) Anglo-American criticism has concerned itself with the differences of women’s writing, finding a tradition of women authors, and exploring women’s culture. ‘Gynocriticism’ defines this approach. The gynocritic explores female authors and the understanding of a female identity or experience in their characters. The author/character/and reader unite to explore this experience. They define ‘women’ as real biological entities who are forming a politics based upon shared experience. ‘Feminine’ means a cultural tradition.
b) French theory refutes all of these points and suggests a new term, ‘gynesis.’ This is the understanding of the process by which ‘women’ and the ‘feminine’ are discovered and articulated. French theorists explore women not as a person, but as a ‘writing-effect.’ The écriture féminine is a woman as an effect and not an origin and asserts not the sexuality of the text but the textuality of the sex. Gender difference is socially constructed. ‘Feminine’ means a cultural stereotype by which the patriarchy tells the woman what is natural. This approach is not particularly interested in women authors or women’s history. The author is dead, long live the text and reader.
B. Elaine Showalter, “A literature of their own”
1. The debate. Where Showalter detects flaws, Moi discovers qualities. What Showalter see as an avoidance of political commitment, Moi sees as a potential for revolutionary practice. While Showalter believes Woolf’s use of multiple personae represents a refusal to stand up and be counted, Moi sees as a way to undermine the unitary self.
2. Woolf’s argument for androgyny. Woolfe argues for androgyny because a woman’s feelings are too hot to handle for friends and family. The room would not liberate women from what others would say, but would encourage them to forget their grievances. Also, a creative mind has to be both masculine and feminine.
3. Two key criticisms. First, Showalter argues that Woolf’s androgynous ideal escapist (a way of avoiding confrontation with her family, critics, readers, and class). If you are androgynous you cannot confront your maleness or femaleness. Second, Woolf’s “A room of one’s own” is a sign of Woolf’s retreat from the material world and psychosexual dilemmas. The room becomes both a sanctuary and a prison. This is an “impersonal” and “defensive” book. The word “one” in the title depersonalizes and desexes the subject.
C. Toril Moi, “Sexual/Textual politics”
1. This book was a survey of developments in feminist literary theory from Kate Millett to the present. The book is broken into two parts: the first deal with Anglo-American criticism; the second with French feminist theory. This represents her belief that French feminism is more theoretical while Anglo-American feminism is better at practical criticism. This essay uses Woolf as a test case for the success or failure of different modes of analysis. She argues that the Anglo-American criticism, exemplified by Showalter, is inadequate compared with French readings (Derrida and Kristeva) of Woolf. The main point of this essay is to illuminate the relationship between feminist critical readings and the often unconscious theoretical and political assumptions that inform them.
2. Showalter on Woolf. Showalter’s theoretical position is never made clear in her discussions on Woolf. She does believe that a text should reflect a writers experience and she argues that this is where Woolf fails. The political position which follows from this is Bourgeois Realism. Realism was the key to the value of a text. This follows Marxist critic Georg Lukacs. Showlater attacks the multiple, pluralistic viewpoints of Woolf. But, what Showalter fails to understand is that this unified view represents patriarchal ideology.
3. Moi ‘rescues’ Woolf. It is important to rescue Woolf because of her literary genius and her commitment to other women authors. Moi argues that a different theoretical position is what is needed. Woolf herself practices a ‘deconstructive’ form of writing in that language cannot be pinned down to one ultimate meaning. It is these shifts in form, changes of perspective, character, and meaning that can be understood by Derrida’s deconstruction. Woolf’s concept of androgyny can be seen as the third and culminating stage of Kristeva’s feminist political struggle.
a) Women demand equal access to the symbolic order. Liberal feminism. Equality.
b) Women reject the male symbolic order in the name of difference. Radical feminism.
c) Women reject the dichotomy between masculine and feminine. This dichotomy is a metaphysical construction. This is Kristeva’s position and fits in well with Woolf’s views on androgyny.
1. This book attempts to understand feminist literary theory since 1970 (The year when Millet’s Sexual Politics was published). FLC is pluralistic, there is no one defining method or belief. But, this is a good thing because FLC draws on many theoretical positions (Marx, Foucault, Kristeva, Derrida, Freud) and diversity fuels further debate. This ongoing debate is captured in this book by presenting a series of dialogues between two authors.
2. The debate between Feminism and critical theory. Some feminists see theory as a male practice and something to avoid. To them theory is impersonal, objective and male while the study of experience is personal, subjective and female. However, other feminists adopt Marxist, post-structurlaist, and psychoanalytical theories because they claim that you can never be outside of theory. It is utopian they believe to look for a experiential, non-theoretical space.
3. Woolf/Showalter/Moi. This debate between the pro and anti theorists provides a way to understand the debate over Woolf by Showalter and Moi. Showalter takes more the anti-theoretical stance.
4. Anglo-American feminism (Showalter)/French feminism (Moi).
a) Anglo-American criticism has concerned itself with the differences of women’s writing, finding a tradition of women authors, and exploring women’s culture. ‘Gynocriticism’ defines this approach. The gynocritic explores female authors and the understanding of a female identity or experience in their characters. The author/character/and reader unite to explore this experience. They define ‘women’ as real biological entities who are forming a politics based upon shared experience. ‘Feminine’ means a cultural tradition.
b) French theory refutes all of these points and suggests a new term, ‘gynesis.’ This is the understanding of the process by which ‘women’ and the ‘feminine’ are discovered and articulated. French theorists explore women not as a person, but as a ‘writing-effect.’ The écriture féminine is a woman as an effect and not an origin and asserts not the sexuality of the text but the textuality of the sex. Gender difference is socially constructed. ‘Feminine’ means a cultural stereotype by which the patriarchy tells the woman what is natural. This approach is not particularly interested in women authors or women’s history. The author is dead, long live the text and reader.
B. Elaine Showalter, “A literature of their own”
1. The debate. Where Showalter detects flaws, Moi discovers qualities. What Showalter see as an avoidance of political commitment, Moi sees as a potential for revolutionary practice. While Showalter believes Woolf’s use of multiple personae represents a refusal to stand up and be counted, Moi sees as a way to undermine the unitary self.
2. Woolf’s argument for androgyny. Woolfe argues for androgyny because a woman’s feelings are too hot to handle for friends and family. The room would not liberate women from what others would say, but would encourage them to forget their grievances. Also, a creative mind has to be both masculine and feminine.
3. Two key criticisms. First, Showalter argues that Woolf’s androgynous ideal escapist (a way of avoiding confrontation with her family, critics, readers, and class). If you are androgynous you cannot confront your maleness or femaleness. Second, Woolf’s “A room of one’s own” is a sign of Woolf’s retreat from the material world and psychosexual dilemmas. The room becomes both a sanctuary and a prison. This is an “impersonal” and “defensive” book. The word “one” in the title depersonalizes and desexes the subject.
C. Toril Moi, “Sexual/Textual politics”
1. This book was a survey of developments in feminist literary theory from Kate Millett to the present. The book is broken into two parts: the first deal with Anglo-American criticism; the second with French feminist theory. This represents her belief that French feminism is more theoretical while Anglo-American feminism is better at practical criticism. This essay uses Woolf as a test case for the success or failure of different modes of analysis. She argues that the Anglo-American criticism, exemplified by Showalter, is inadequate compared with French readings (Derrida and Kristeva) of Woolf. The main point of this essay is to illuminate the relationship between feminist critical readings and the often unconscious theoretical and political assumptions that inform them.
2. Showalter on Woolf. Showalter’s theoretical position is never made clear in her discussions on Woolf. She does believe that a text should reflect a writers experience and she argues that this is where Woolf fails. The political position which follows from this is Bourgeois Realism. Realism was the key to the value of a text. This follows Marxist critic Georg Lukacs. Showlater attacks the multiple, pluralistic viewpoints of Woolf. But, what Showalter fails to understand is that this unified view represents patriarchal ideology.
3. Moi ‘rescues’ Woolf. It is important to rescue Woolf because of her literary genius and her commitment to other women authors. Moi argues that a different theoretical position is what is needed. Woolf herself practices a ‘deconstructive’ form of writing in that language cannot be pinned down to one ultimate meaning. It is these shifts in form, changes of perspective, character, and meaning that can be understood by Derrida’s deconstruction. Woolf’s concept of androgyny can be seen as the third and culminating stage of Kristeva’s feminist political struggle.
a) Women demand equal access to the symbolic order. Liberal feminism. Equality.
b) Women reject the male symbolic order in the name of difference. Radical feminism.
c) Women reject the dichotomy between masculine and feminine. This dichotomy is a metaphysical construction. This is Kristeva’s position and fits in well with Woolf’s views on androgyny.
December 4, 2017
Não li a obra na íntegra, porém li uma grande parte do mesmo! Do que li existem considerações interessantes especialmente em relação a literatura no geral. Possui também uns capítulos muito interessantes sobre questões raciais na literatura e palestras interessantíssimas e sumarentas sobre Virgínia Woolf (que não devia de ter lido por não ser o meu tema de investigação porém não consegui resistir)
Ficam as três estrelas por agora com o desejo de voltar a ler este compêndio estimulante.
Ficam as três estrelas por agora com o desejo de voltar a ler este compêndio estimulante.
June 29, 2017
I did not read this in full, but what I did read was interesting and well thought through.
October 23, 2017
Re-read and completion.
September 2, 2022
Used this book for my paper in College, very helpful!
December 28, 2014
Feminist Literary Theory by Mary Eagleton is a very illuminating book. It discusses different aspects about Feminism with providing excerpts from different essays. I think that anyone interested in Feminism should have this book in her/his library.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews