Feminist criticism seeks to address and correct the historical neglect of female writers by the literary canon, which has traditionally prioritized male authors. This involves rediscovering and promoting works by women that have been overlooked or undervalued.
Feminist criticism generally opposes essentialism, the idea that gender characteristics are innate and fixed. Instead, it often argues that gender is a social construct and challenges the binary and stereotypical notions of 'male' and 'female' traits.
Feminist critics examine and challenge the ways gender roles and identities are constructed and perpetuated by society.
Feminist criticism does not valorize the traditional canon uncritically. On the contrary, it often critiques the traditional canon for its exclusion of female voices and perspectives, and for upholding patriarchal values.
Year-wise PYQs
