Feminist Criticism
An Examination of Gender Differences, Power, and the
Female Experience
Required Reading: “Man Descending”
,Writing Exercise
• Finish the following sentences with endings of your own:
• When a teacher begins class…
• Before a judge can give a final ruling…
• Once a secretary makes coffee…
• Even though the coach was respected…
• After the professor’s book was published…
, Understanding Feminist Criticism
• Based on the assumption that Western culture is
fundamentally patriarchal, creating an imbalance of power that
marginalizes women and their work
• This social structure is reflected in all aspects of culture,
including literature
• Feminist critics aim to expose this ideology, and in the end to
change it, so that women’s roles as characters and authors
can be fully appreciated
An Examination of Gender Differences, Power, and the
Female Experience
Required Reading: “Man Descending”
,Writing Exercise
• Finish the following sentences with endings of your own:
• When a teacher begins class…
• Before a judge can give a final ruling…
• Once a secretary makes coffee…
• Even though the coach was respected…
• After the professor’s book was published…
, Understanding Feminist Criticism
• Based on the assumption that Western culture is
fundamentally patriarchal, creating an imbalance of power that
marginalizes women and their work
• This social structure is reflected in all aspects of culture,
including literature
• Feminist critics aim to expose this ideology, and in the end to
change it, so that women’s roles as characters and authors
can be fully appreciated
