FEMINIST LITERARY THEORY
A brief introduction
INTERPRET THIS POEM:
Possibilities:
•You can’t have ‘she’
without ‘he’
•Her thoughts revolve
around him
•He is trapped by her
•He breaks up her
thoughts
•She holds him together
WHAT IS FEMINISM?
The term feminism can be used to describe a
political, cultural or economic movement aimed
at establishing equal rights and legal protection
for women. Feminism involves political, cultural
and sociological theories, as well as philosophies
concerned with issues of gender difference. It is
also a movement that advocates gender equality
for women and campaigns for women's rights and
interests.
 It is not trying to make women better than men,
just equal.

WHAT IS LITERARY THEORY?

The rigorous examination of literature,
undertaken to bring to life the full depth and
range of its meanings
WHAT IS FEMINIST LITERARY THEORY?
Lisa Tuttle has defined feminist theory as asking
"new questions of old texts."
 Examines relationship between men and women
and their roles in society
 Fact Sheet

CAN FEMINIST THEORY APPLY TO MORE
THAN LITERATURE?
Mount
Rushmore
The Miss America Pageant
Coverage of the Olympic
women’s hockey team
Anchors of national network
news shows
Other?
HOW DO WE APPLY THE THEORY?
Closely examining the portrayal of the
characters, both female and male, the language
of the text, the attitude of the author, and the
relationship between the characters. Also, what
comments the author seems to be making about
society as a whole.
 Try to analyze that characters, the situations, the
relationships and the author’s intent on writing
the piece – this is the type of analysis you will be
expected to do in college.
