CHAPTER
GYNOC!.UTICISM
&
BEAUTY MYTH BY NAOl\fi WOLF
j>,
is stated in the previous chapters, this chapter wants to analyze Lilian as the
fe'n 'e main character of Lilian's Story, a novel by Kate Grenville that is related to
concept
beauty.
ex;Jlanations
relation to this problem, in this chapter there will be brief
and references on the Feminist
Literary
Criticism as the base
gynocriticism, fo:lowed by the Gynocriticism Concept and Women's Writing. Besides,
the st:p;Jortive theory, The Concept
Myth {1990) is also explained
Beauty
Nacmi Wo!f in her book The Beauty
this chapter.
2.1. Feminist Literary Criticism
Femidst literary criticism is a st.1dy tr.at focused
iiterature and patriarchal biases
field
on the relationship between
society (Booker, 1996, p.l). Before the 1970s, the
literature exclusively dominated by male-authored works (Waugh, 2006). Their
domi:w.tion brings negative impacts because lhey set lhe negative c::tltural view toward
wonen identity
(LeBihan, 2001). Througl'l literary works, male aulhors
state lhe
masc::tline rationality but define women as the passivity, second sex, and inferiority.
Male aulhors also state that the lack numbers of women's writings are caused by the
h:ghest standard of literary production (Waugh, p.326). Male authors assume that
wome1:can not \vrite as well as male because they are rarely write and do not have the
ability to write like male do. Ma..ny feminist critics see this as a way of ma!e authors to
progress in literary works. One of them is Virginia Woolf (1929). She argued
6
lack nu..mbers of jferrtale writers is caused by social and economic restriction that
is tL"lder male's control (p.326).
The negative opinion toward women creates a protest :from feminist critics which is
argue that male's works expose tl1e negative side of women. In order te stop the
treatment, feminist critics a.'la!yze pattern of female subordination in the male's
men and women (Waugh,
lite:raty works which is im]plic:it social ideas about
2006). The aroa!ysis is known as Feminist litersry
TillCI!>m.
This term does not
culture and Etera.ry work related each other (Sugihastuti &
women but to see how
nmnbir of female-aut:1ored works. Beside that the analysis is supposed to fmd and
dru:ifY the negative images
women's identity that are created by male's authors in
novel.
The misinterpretation toward wome:-images
some feminist begin
examination toward the female character in male's texts, one of the first notable feminist
address the construction
woman v.ithin male 'INriting was Kate Millet (Waugh,
She examined the most fumous male-authored work, D.H. Lawrence's Lady
Chatterley's Lover, which is
exposed a sustained presumption of female passivity.
Through this to examination, she argued in her book Sexual Politic (!969)
patriarchal society works in calculate male supremacy through a va_'":iety position while
women are portrayed
negligible representation for some public status.
Showalter (1985) stated
fust type is concerned
feminist criticism is divided into two distincts varieties.
women as a reader of male-produced literature
women are habitually readirtg from male's perspective.
which
second type which is
thesis deals is concerned with women as writer, with women as the producer of texteal
7
meaning, with the history, themes, genres, and structures of literature of literature by
women. Its subject h""lclude to feznale creativity, l&.>tguage, and career. TI-lls approach
then called with Gynocriticism.
2.2, Gynocr&ticism
Gynocritics is a female study
analyzes the women's literature and the study of
female's experiences. Elaine Shmvalter (1970) described the change in Le !ate 1970s as
a shift of attention from &."ld."'texts, books by men, to gynotexts, books by women. She
described the term gynocritics, meaning the study of gynotexts, but gynocriticism is a
broad
varied field because it deals with ihe history, fuemes, genres, and structure of
writing by women (BruTy, ! 995, p.l23). Gynocritics comes from the misinterpretation of
female images that
appeer in male's works. The negative images of women
mal<e feminist critics begin their examination toward the male's works or known with
phallocentric.
it develops
a text by wo:wen to convey women's ideas about
the inferiority toward women in male's descriptions.
Gynocritics is a concept that discusses about women and their literary works which
is including its purposes. The prhuery tactic of gynocritism is simple and effective. It
do::te by motivating the new female writers and recovering forgotten and unvalued texts
making them available in present (LeBihan 2001). Further, these female writers
works. Virago Press was instrumental in both of these
processes. Established in 1973, its intention was to publish only female-authored-works
(War:gh, 2006, p.328).
8
feminist critics' practice
gynocriticism was founded on belief that the
established male literary tradition had suppressed an alternative female tradition, v1;hlch
remain<od hidde.: ao.1d waitL'lg to
Sh•e>wait;r who explores this issue.
discovered (Waugh, 2006, p.328). It was Elaine
examined some female literary work to fmd out
exact standard for the canon text She also helped to prove that many women can
qualified works in different style as 1Nell as male authors (p.329).
Showalter argued that women not only wrote differently from men but she should
differently. In women writing, they put their own characteristic, themes, pattern,
own disti"lct identities (Waugh, 2006). Showalter also explained that women
cl mg:e their habit in reading a text that usually comes from male perspective. It
requircd a critical reading
find out the differences between fem.ale works a.11d the
dO!ninant male's wo;ks. It wus
for women novelist to show
ability and destroy
th.e ass!ID1ption of women as a sexless and i.."'ferior of male tradition (p.329).
Showalter argued that a common repetition of theme and inlages in women writing's
distingdshed. it obviously from men's writing. In male work (pr.a!locentric) women
readers who see
concerns with fumale as a writer
from male's opinion. While, gynocriticism
it examines female's literary work and experiences
are reflected through their works (Waugh, 2006:p.329). The literary works between
two authors is different and the obvious one is the way they present
tenwle character.
!en!ale authors often present the female main character as the victinl of patriarchal
way of novelist presents
people in a novel are
main character is known v.ith characterization.
to as characters. This poocess is more difficult
because a writer needs a considerable skill and insight into human being to describe
9
convincingly who a person is (Arp & Jo!mson, 2006).
aul:hoJ:s to show
Tlus is a challenge for female
they are able to present the qualified character and theme
their
writhing.
Cr.aracrer and the theme itself become two
some elements in literary work.
According to Ken."!edy and Gioia (2005), Character is presumably an imagined person
who inhabits a story. It is divided into two, the Round and the Flat character depends on
1'1Titers creates them.
Round character presents us with many fucets-that is their
authors pert:ays them in greater depth and in more generous detail. While Flat cr.araeter,
has only one outstanding trait or feature, or at most a few distinguishing marks. Then,
character related ·with
theme of
novel,
itself is often defined as the
central philosophical or moral idea of a novel, what the novel is really about (Martin &
Hill, 1996).
Female autltors realize that they have good skill and ability to write. Beside that,
they have several ;epics to be explored. They want to convey their ideas, opinions, and
perspectives about several issues about women. The female authors hope that L ey can
destroy the negative opinion of women images through their writing.
Women Writing
Gynocrities approach makes women heve a chance as the producer of textual
meaning (Ruthven, 1984). Wc Cllm
her own style in 1'1Titing; it distinguished her
male authors. Showalter argued that women wrote differently from men and the
readers can find how female's experience is reflected in t.e literature (Waugh, 2006).
Women's writing becomes the media to s!:.ow readers the real experience of women.
10
book written by women told about the unfair t."eatment and the negative
Most of
judgments to women irnages.
Some feminists write to explain about the discrimination that happens toward
women
several problems like education, marriage, and motherhood (Waugh, 2006).
Virginia Wolf's A Roam of One Own (1929) is principally concerned \Vith
women
material disadvantages compared to men; portrays the unequal treatment given to
women seeking education and alternatives to marriage and motherhood (Barry, 1984).
The o::her is American feminist Mary Daly
her book GyrJEcology (1978) told about
the religion, law, and science as methods of patriarchal control to define and limit
women (Waugh, 2006, p.324).
is as;rJmptioZl that the content of women's writing is anything to do with
stereotypical female sensibility. Showalter rejected this idea; she argued that the female
literary tradition comes
the still-evolving relationship between women writers and
their society. Waugh (2001) stated that women's writing is a result of the unfair
treatment tow-ard women that is caused by the tradition, culture and society. The female-
authored works are the reflection of women experience among male domination.
Sho"W!!lter (LeBilia,"l, 2001) stated that women's writing goes through three phases of
development: tne first one is 'inlitation' that is
the prevailing modes of the dominant
tradition construct a female framework that is created by patriarchal domination.. The
second is 'protest;; agai :st these standards and values'
new models
i11
which feminist critics develop
writing based on the study of fe!nale experiences; create new traits of t'Je
female character
order to protest the standard and value about women from the male
perceptions. And fmally 'self-discovery', a search for identity' find women identity as a
female who have the equality witl1
(p.131) Showalter labeled
stsges
11
'feminine' is a set of culturally
characteristic, 'feminist' is related with political
position, and 'female' is a matter of biology (Barry, 1995, p.l21- p.122). Feminist critics
to make an obvious difference among the three definitions. Feminist see this as a new
way to differentiate women according to their fu::tction.
tbese three stages, males
describe women in a negative state. Feminist critics
s:r,1ggie to deconstruct the stereotypes that have been set by male is not
Oneofthe
challenging issues of the second wave feminis,u was how women were presented
negatively as stereotypes and objects ofma!e gaze (Carson 2001). Showalter (1985) also
GXJ! ailled that if we study the stereotype of women deeper, we are not ie!ltlling what
women have felt and experienced, but only what men have though women should do.
of Julia Kristeva, for
is crucially concerned with analyzing the
rnateri:ali1¥ of the female body where she argued that women's bodies are controlied
"'ithin patriarchal system (p.Bl).
The cultural view stated that a man's presence was promise of power, whereas a
wo,rruln's presence implied self-conscious display (Carson 2001, p.l21). Fen1inist c-ritics ·
statement as negative re{rrei>entatiion of women as the stereotypes and object of
gaze. They also criticized
ferr!ale value by
oppressions toward women come
Beauty contests that are seen as system that
Feminist critics think
new
fonn of
a symbol of beauty industry. Male-authors often
t.'ris new issue to limit women's progress. In their literary works, most of their
v.'Iitin!;s expose women as the fushion industry mannequin rather than beautiful bright
canner women. Indirectly, the negative images of women appear
a new fonn, the
vicl!imoffushion industry as a representative of male's culture. There is standardization
that must be fulfilled by women to be good looking.
12
'r"'1is condition makes women
under pressured and weak. Wolf L'l her book The
Beauty Myth (1990) argued:
It is not that women's identities are naturally weak. But "ideal" image!)' has become
obsessively important to women because it was meant to become so. Women are mere
"beauties" h"'l men's culture so that culture can be kept male. When women
culture
show chamcter, they are not desirable, as opposed to t.he desirable, artless ingenue.
(Wolf, 1990, p59}
The quotation explained that women are constructed to understand definition beauty
from male's perspec+Jve. There is doctrine that is done to framed women's progress.
Women develop under male's controL
result, women are under pressure to look
beautiful. Wolf (1990) argued that there are concepts of beauty tbat must be fulfilled by
women. Generally, the concept of beauty that is believed by most women is they must
and slim. It is completed wit!:. having exotic color skin, wear tbc fashionable
be
dresses, and know how to attract
opposite sex's attention.
result,
order to gain
the standard ofbeau'ty, women are often infused with beauty mytb.
2.4!. The Bteauty Myth
Naomi Wolf in her book The Beauty Myth (1990) gives a very thoughtful and VY-ell
researcl:ed !eac'Tling on the feminine experience related to the concept of beauty. She said
although women are
relation V .ith
power
the movement for equality but they have lost tbeir personally
body. In
public domain women have a voice more rights, more
more noney thoo ever before. However, in the private domain women are
under pressure to look beauty and slim, they are demanded to fulfill the standard of
beauty thai is set by media and fashion industry that is a representative of male's culture.
Ironicei!y, increasing number of women is suffering from eating disorders to conform to
perfect images and cosmetic surgery is become the new phenomena. Wolf argued that
tlris is 'the beauty myth' (p.337).
beauty myt!t has manipulated women into feeling inseeure and unhappy with
themselves especially related with physical appearance (Wolf, 1990). Media and fashion
industry have set the standard of beauty for women. Women are demanded to have at
least the slim and attractive looks. The result is many educated, liberated and success
career women do not fell as
as t.hey want to. Many are ashamed to admit that
physical appearance, bodies, faces, hair, and clothes are matter so much for their life.
Some feminist critics see
Virginia Woolfwrote
as a new way of culture to linrit women's progress.
it would be decades before women could tell
troth of their
bo<:!ie:s. In 1962, Betty Frieclan told about a ymmg woman who trapped in the Feminine ·
Mystique,
young wonen was afraid thet one day she would be like her mother. Even
a slli"fragist, Lucy Stone stated thai
to vote or own
prefer to have a good body rather than have right
property (p.ll ). The same condition also happens today tow&d
because they becone the victims ofconeept of beauty that have been set male's culture.
However, the misinterpretation ideology of beauty is violent because it has the
power to control women. Wolfs basic thesis stated that
material hindrances women
is a relationship between
broken through, the more strictly and heavily and
cruelly images offemale beauty have come :o weigh upon us (p.10)". In this statement,
Wolf stated tlmt
beauty myth is not easy to be destroyed because the culture that is
built by the society for women's appearance that must be beautiful and slim.
14
The concepts of beauty in most society are assumed as something objectively and
universally exist (Wolf, 1990, p.12). She added that there is a cultural standard about
beauty where she must be good-looking, slim, and young. Women with beautiful looks
attract
attention; strong and powerful men battle for beautiful women because
women beauty is related to
fertility, and since this system is based on the sexual
selection, it is inevitable a1-:d changeless.
Tnis is bec:on1e the new issue, researchers stated that most women said that they
would rather lose ten or fifteen pounds than achieve any goal. Contemporary standards
of feminine beau.+y have developed into eating disorders that cause a near epidemic like
anorexia and bulhnia and plastic surgery becomes the fustest growing medical specialty
for women to beautifY their physical appeam.'!ce (Wolf, 1990).
For Wolf (!990), beauty is a currency system like the gold! ittandard. It is not
universal and changeless (p.l3). It is detem:tined by many factors such as economic,
politic,
culture. Wolf also argued that whst we call beauty is a cultural myth that has
been set fur eertsirr pmpose. She believed tl:>..at men
so
begb to centro! women
scared with women's progress,
imprisoning them in their bodies, use the beauty .
myth as a way to control women life, and create the beauty standard tow-ard women.
Women arc bombarded with tile images of tile 'perfect' woman. She is usually
gorgeous, good looking, attractive, blonde, and exotic women of her color skin (Wolf,
1990). Wr""''" witc'l this trait become tile role model for the other. The cultura teaches
women that they carr not be happy uniess
are beautiful. The obvious one is the role
of adveti:isements and mass media thst manipulate women with their images of beauty
(p.64). Women do not hesitate to do anything to gain a gorgeous looks. When
is a
15
dissatisfaction of physical fault, cosmetic surgery and skin care industry become the new ·
cultural
appearance (Wolf, 1990).
women to repair
W::.If argued worr:en are trapped with male perspective, they do not realize that this ·
is a new form from
to control wo:oen's life or even limit their progress. She argued
L"'e male culture seems b..appiest to L'llagine two women together when they are defined
as being one win.ner and one loser
perception about beauty.
appearance
She
the beauty myth (p.60). Wolf (1990) gave her
defined beauty as something more than physical
also personality. Besides, she also gave her opinion about women
wriltingrelated to the concept of beauty,
argued that female culture's greatest writers
share the search for radiance, a beauty tb..at has a meaning.
In modem ere nowadays, beauty should not
a media to limit women's progress.
However, there are a lot of women trsp into beauty myth. They do not satisfy wit.their
physical looks. The result, they are infused with notion of beauty, it is a dark
of
self-hatred, physical obsessions, terror of aging, and dread of lost control.
Women are
wit
pressured to have a beautiful looks. Most of t_nem feel unsatisfied
physical appearance. This condition leads them to
hatred with themselves.
Wolf (1990) argued this condition is very datngerous because it succeeds in effecting
women's internal sense of themselves. Beauty myth !1as created a standard of beauty for ·
women
are impossible to at'".air, and women are reacting
the obsessive behavior
in their attempt to gain the atiractive performance. When the gaining is fault, there is a ·
negative impact toward the women behavior. Energy that is used to gain positive goal
changes
feeling guilt, sheme, and unhappiness at her physical fault. The result is
16
feeling under pressure to look beautiful und take a shortcut like skin surgery to gain a
fabulous looks (p.2!9).
women's life. It makes
women step back again; they spend t1eir time to worry about their appearance without
understanding that they are under male's
OOiltr<J! that
define beauty in certain standa.rd.
Wolf added that there are several things that can be done by women to show that they
other part, for example from
can be appreciated not only from physical looks
tl}eir intelligence. Fusthermore, women are blessed with
same talents with men, and
they must convince that they can be appreciated
personality and ability. It is
very inportant to women to have positive tllli:lkix1g about themselves, because feeling
hctred will lead you to obsess to have an ideal physic.
2.4.2. Physical oli:Jsession
Recently, more and more wome.-'1 told researchers that
would rather lose ten to
fifteen pounds than achieve any other goals (Wolf, 1990, p.l 0). There is a statxdard of ·
women to have a slim body, she must tall and graceful, and weighting at least 20"/o less
fhar; what her height requires (Wolf, 1990). The beauty myth provides a standard of
liDnrilll, slim, overweight, and obesity. It is assumed that normal, round; healthy
women's bodies
a.."'e
too fat; that cushy, soft women's flesh is really cellulite and that .
women with small beast are not sexy. Gaining the ideal body, some women are not
reh.:cta."llt to do some extreme things iike straight diet, starve, do exercise to get way,
inject the chemical in breast, and ever: do surgery action to suck the fat in the body out.
The beauty myth has made t.'Je serious impact to women healt.\.
used to strip women of the sense of control.
and weight are
eating disorelers raised exponentiaily,
anorexia and bulimia strike a million women every year, it also cause a death for
women (Wolf, 1990). Wolf in her book argued that this life style makes women's life is
pressured. They hurt themselves and are not uncomfortable and happy with their
TI1e result, they are not healthy whether physically or mentally. Wolf explained that
women must appreciate themselves in order to avoid feeling depressed (p.228). Th.e
obsession to always look beautiful also makes women fear with aging process.
2.4.3. Trenror of Agirng
Youth and (until recently) virginity has been beautiful in women since they stand for
experimental!L'ld sexual ignorance. While, aging in women is unbeautiful since women
grow more powerful with time (Wolf, 1990, p.14) Women fear with the aging process,
bet::aru;e in this time, there will line in her face and visible flaw that will effuct to their
beauty. Women has to l'al.--ely look older than 25, with no visible defect or line in her face
bet::ause women over 30 'Who show sign on her face is thought as ugly. In order to delay
the process aging, most women do plastic surgery; they cut or burned off the line in their
face to look younger.
This process
women to fight with their fate who normally grow, grow, and
grow. They are not satisfied with their condition without realize t.'wt llteir action make ·
they
unde:r pressure, there is no time to enjoy their prime time joyfully. Wolf saw
as tbe impact of standard of beauty. Women must be llliliure to accept natural
process that happens to everyor;e and see anything more objectively. They have to learn
to control themselves not by others.
18
2.4.4. Drl) d! of lost control
Women is not only demanded to take care of their body but also monitors her
appearances as an object to be looked at and judged (Wolf, 1990). Completing the
beauty perfonnance, she must have skill to choose her clothes, she must know the
perfect hair style for her face, and she also demanded to have the right attitude. As she
grows, a girl is given less opportunity and encouragement to the deploy the power of her
body; she learns feminine bodily compartment, to walk like girl, to assume she is fragile;
she leam to fear invasion of her bodily space, measure the exact weight for her, and
have the best manner like a lady.
Wolf also argued that women should not be trapped into male's culture but give a
new improvement (p.60). The key just be yourself, a woman who knows how to be
polite, dignified, and confident.