Exploring Literature through the Feminist Lens

Feminist Lens

The feminist lens allows us to look at text through the eyes of a feminist to closely analyze how women are portrayed and presented in comparison to men.

Feminism- movement for social, political, economic, and cultural equality between men and women; campaigns against gender inequalities.

Feminist critics believe: Civilization is patriarchal “Gender” is socially constructed

Reading through a Feminist Lens

How are women portrayed? What are the roles of women? What is expected of women? What is valued? What sexual stereotypes are present? How does society’s construction of gender influence women? What is portrayed as “feminine”?

How do women relate with men? How do marriages, families, friendships, and other relationships

function between men and women? How is power dispersed between men and women?

How are the identities of women presented? Are women’s voices heard? Why or why not?

What is the author’s view of women?

How have we already used a Feminist Lens in our study of The Odyssey?

Harkness Discussion What is Homer’s view of women, and how is it presented

in the text? Roles— What does it mean to be a woman in Ancient

Greece? What different roles do women play in The Odyssey? Are they all traditionally feminine roles?

Power and Influence— How are women denied power and influence in the epic? In what ways are women able to exert their power and influence? How do women both aid and hinder Odysseus and other men during their journeys?

Relationships— How do men and women relate with one another in the epic? What are their relationships like? How do Odysseus and other male characters view women? Is this the same way Homer views women?

Feminist Lens in The Odyssey

Why do you think Scylla and Charybdis are personified as women, and why is it significant? What qualities do the two monsters possess? Do they remind us of other female characters in the epic? “I never noticed that they were referred to as she.” When looking at the text through the Feminist Lens,

readers are constantly considering how women are presented in comparison to men. Readers search for use of language (such as the word ‘she’ referring to both the monsters Scylla and Charybdis) that indicate gender roles, stereotypes, inequalities, and relationships.

Feminist Lens: Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore Traditional Lens:

Monument honoring our country’s founding presidents.

Feminist Lens: History glorifies men;

women have no impact in America’s history.

Till this day, there hasn’t been a female president.

Politics is a “masculine” career path.

Feminist Lens: Barbie Doll

Barbie Doll Traditional Lens:

The Barbie doll is a popular girl’s toy.

Feminist Lens: Barbie reinforces traditional

female roles (mother, nurse, teacher). The doll tells girls that these are the “ideal” career paths.

Depicts fashion and materialism as “feminine”

Promotes an unrealistic body image

-2007: Barbie Learns to CookSpeech bubble states: "Ken loves my famous casserole - yummy!"

Feminist Lens: “Love Story” by Taylor Swift

Feminist Lens: “Love Story” by Taylor Swift

“Love Story” by Taylor Swift Traditional Lens:

Daydreaming of marriage Idealization of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

Feminist Lens: Women are incomplete without a man Men are in control (“Romeo save me,” “I’ll be waiting,”

“you were everything to me,” “I was begging you,” “I talked to your dad”)

Switching of “gender roles” from Shakespeare’s original text

Exit Questions

Define “feminist lens” in your own words.In your opinion, why is it important to

analyze cultural icons or music (ex. Barbie and “Love Song”) as well as literature (ex. The Odyssey) with a feminist lens?