The term "feminist critique" refers to an approach to literature, film, art, politics, or culture that analyzes how gender norms shape society and how they intersect with other forms of oppression such as race, class, and sexual orientation. Feminist critique challenges traditional ideas about what it means to be a man or woman and explores how these ideas impact society's expectations for men and women. It also examines how gender roles have been used to justify violence against women, as well as how women have resisted these roles and fought back against them throughout history. In this essay, I will explain how feminist critique has challenged patriarchal assumptions about morality, desire, and female agency through its analysis of three key works of literature: The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
Feminism and Morality
To understand how feminist critique challenges patriarchy, it is essential to examine its roots in feminist theory. According to feminist philosopher Judith Butler, "gender is performative" in that it is constructed through social interactions rather than being innate or biologically determined. This means that gender roles are learned behaviors created by society and enforced through socialization, education, media, religion, law, and family structures. By uncovering these societal forces behind gender roles, feminist critique seeks to liberate individuals from the constraints imposed on them based on their sex. One way it does this is by exposing moral arguments supporting male dominance over women as false or misguided.
Feminists have argued that traditional notions of female purity and virginity were invented to control women's sexuality, while men were allowed to engage in promiscuous behavior without judgment. Patriarchal systems often use morality to reinforce their power, such as in the case of purity culture, which places an emphasis on abstaining from premarital sex to protect women's honor and chastity.
Feminist critique argues that this framework ignores the reality of female desire and the complexity of human sexuality, which cannot be reduced to simple binary distinctions between good and bad or right and wrong.
Feminist Desire
Feminist critique also challenges patriarchal assumptions about desire by exploring the ways that women's desires have been suppressed, marginalized, or even demonized throughout history. In The Yellow Wallpaper, for instance, a woman trapped in a Victorian marriage begins to experience hallucinations after her husband confines her to the attic bedroom with only yellow wallpaper for company. She becomes increasingly obsessed with the paper, seeing images of women struggling against it in desperation until she finally loses her sanity entirely. Critics have interpreted this story as an allegory for how women have been constrained within societal expectations, particularly those related to motherhood and domesticity. By depicting the protagonist as someone who is driven mad by confinement, Gilman suggests that traditional gender roles can be harmful to both men and women alike. Similarly, Wuthering Heights portrays a relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff in which love is expressed through violence and possessiveness rather than respect and care. Their passionate connection is presented as something dangerous and destructive rather than romantic or beautiful. This reinforces the idea that male desire is more powerful and valid than female desire and that women should submit to men's whims instead of pursuing their own needs.
Female Agency
Feminist critique examines how women have historically been denied agency in society, often portrayed as weak, dependent, or irrational. Pride and Prejudice presents a different view of female agency, however, with Elizabeth Bennet emerging as an independent-minded heroine who refuses to conform to social conventions regarding marriage. Instead, she prioritizes personal happiness over material wealth or social status, choosing Mr. Darcy even though he initially appears arrogant and prideful. Her decision demonstrates that women are capable of making choices about their lives without relying on external factors such as family connections or financial security. Throughout history, many women have fought against patriarchal systems, whether through political activism, artistic expression, or simply by living their lives on their own terms. Feminist critique seeks to amplify these voices and celebrate them as examples of female empowerment.
Feminist critique has challenged traditional ideas about morality, desire, and female agency by exposing their connections to gender roles and power dynamics. By analyzing literature like The Yellow Wallpaper, Wuthering Heights, and Pride and Prejudice, we can gain insights into how these assumptions have affected individuals throughout history and why they continue to persist today. We must be vigilant in recognizing the ways that gender norms shape our expectations for men and women and work to dismantle those structures so everyone can live fuller, more authentic lives.
How does feminist critique challenge patriarchal assumptions about morality, desire, and female agency?
Feminist critique of traditional notions of morality, desire, and female agency has been challenging patriarchal structures for decades, arguing that these concepts are inherently oppressive towards women. Feminists claim that there is no objective standard of moral behavior that applies equally to all people; instead, they emphasize the subjectivity of individual experience and the social context in which it occurs.