1. Gender Perspective
A. Multiple Choice Questions.
1. Which of the following statements is true about the gender
perspective?
a)
Gender-based discrimination is unnatural and illogical
b)
Women are inferior to men by birth
c)
Women are free from patriarchal ideology
d)
Society has granted equal rights to men and women
2. According to gender criticism, .......................
a)
gender is biologically determined
b)
gender and sex are one and the same
c)
society determines a person's gender
d)
gender is not determined by society
3. The tendency of treating a woman as an object
is called...............
a)
subjectification of a woman
b)
objectification of a woman
c)
glorification of a woman
d)
empowerment of a woman
4. Which of the following statements is true
about the cult of womanhood?
a)
It empowers women
b)
It encourages women to participate actively in social activities
c)
It dis-empowers women
d)
It treats men and women equally
5. The acknowledgment of equal roles of men and women in society
leads to............
a)
gender dominance
b)
gender discrimination
c)
gender conflict
d)
gender coexistence
6. The concept of 'co-existence' in gender studies believes
on...............
a.
the superiority of male
b.
the inferiority of female
c.
equality of rich and poor
d.
to accept similarities and differences between men and women
7. In general, literary criticism is not used
to...................
a)
classify the literary work according to its genre and subgenres
b)
provide the reader with relevant biographical and historical information about
the work
c)
to determined gender by society
d)
identify the author's views on gender, class, race, ecology, religion, and so
on
8. In general, literary criticism is not used
to...................
a)
interpret the theme, structure, formal elements, and style of the work
b)
Women are free from patriarchal ideology
c)
make a value judgment about the work
d)
identify the author's views on gender, class, race, ecology, religion, and so
on
9. The overall aim of criticism is to................works of
literature.
a)
describe, interpret and evaluate
b)
describe, intention and evaluate
c)
intention, interpret and evaluate
d)
describe, interpret and intention
10. Which is not the major critical perspective or critical
lenses to study literary works is..........................
a)
feminist perspective
b)
gender and queer perspective
c)
class perspective
d)
book perspective
11. Which is not the major critical perspective or critical
lenses to study literary works is..........................
a)
cultural perspective
b)
postmodernism and ecocriticism
c)
machinery perspective
d)
linguistic perspective
12. The gender perspective or gender criticism has its roots
in......................studies.
a)
nature
b)
gender
c)
political
d)
social
13. Gender criticism emerged in the.........................in
the Western World.
a)
1960s
b)
1950s
c)
1940s
d)
1930s
14. It is a feminist movement that began in the United States in
the 1960s and continued till the end of the.......................
a)
1960s
b)
1970s
c)
1980s
d)
1990s
15. M. H. Abrams and Goeoffrey G. Harpham (2015) define;
......................is a person's identification as male or female.
a)
class
b)
women
c)
men
d)
sex
16. The French philosopher, social historian and literary critic
Michael Foucault asserts that a person's sexual identity, sexual behavior and
sexual orientation all are...........................constructed.
a)
naturally
b)
socially
c)
politically
d)
economically
17. Feminist criticism is the outcome of "two.....................of
struggle for the recognition of women's cultural roles and achievements, and
for women's social and political rights".
a)
years
b)
decades
c)
centuries
d)
eras
18. Kate Millet, Elaine Showalter, Luce Irigaray, Julia Kristeva,
and Helene Cixous are the champions of
contemporary......................criticism.
a)
textual
b)
feminist
c)
oedipal
d)
LGBTI
19. ...........................is the act of treating a person
as an object rather than a human being.
a)
Subjectification
b)
Justification
c)
Objectification
d)
Certification
20. The cult of true womanhood or the cult of domesticity is a
patriarchal value system promoted by Victorian society in
the...................
a)
18th century
b)
19th century
c)
20th century
d)
21st century
21. ..........................is the state in which men and
women acknowledge and respect each other's existence.
a)
Gender Coexistence
b)
Animal Coexistence
c)
Female Coexistence
d)
Male Coexistence
22. The poet.........................in 'The Revolt of Islam'
(1818) questions "Can man be free if woman be a slave?"
a)
Christina Rossetti
b)
J. K. Rowling
c)
P.B. Shelley
d)
Marie Frawn
23. In the................society, men occupy a higher position
and hold authority. As a result, there is a vertical relationship between men
and women.
a)
colonized
b)
free
c)
slave
d)
patriarchal
24. The concept of 'co-existence' in gender studies believes
on...............
3.
the superiority of male
b.
the inferiority of female
c.
equality of rich and poor
d.
to accept similarities and differences between men and women
B. Answer the following questions.
1) What do you mean by critical perspectives? What can be its
relevance to literature?
Critical
perspective in relation to literature refers to the ways to analyzing literary
texts by using literary theories. In other words, a critical perspective is a
point of view that a reader adopts to analyze a literary text. The text can be
a poem, short story, drama, essay, or novel. In other words, it is a way of
criticizing a literary work based on a certain literary theory. By criticizing
a work does not mean that we are supposed to indicate the faults of the
literary work in a disapproving way. In the context of literature, to criticize
a literary work means to read it in depth and make a judgment about it.
Its relevance to literature
The
overall aim of criticism is to describe, interpret and evaluate works of
literature.
a)
Classify the literary work according to its genre and subgenres
b) Provide the reader with relevant biographical and historical information
about the work
c)
Interpret the theme, structure, formal elements, and style of the work
d)
Identify the author's views on gender, class, race, ecology, religion, and so
on
e) Make a value judgment about the work
Critical perspectives are the critical lenses for looking at the works of
literature. We can analyze the same literary work from different critical
points of view. In other words, the same text can be read very literary work
can have multiple themes and class struggle and conflict, racial conflict, and
marginality. In such a context, we can adopt a particular perspective to
interpret the issue in question. What is more important here is not which
perspective we adopt but how we apply principles and strategies of the relevant
literary criticism and how we justify our perspective with the evidence from
the text. The major critical perspectives or critical lenses to study literary
works are feminist perspective, gender and queer perspective, class
perspective, linguistic perspective, cultural perspective, postmodernism, and
ecocriticism.
A critical lens is a way of looking at a particular
work of literature by differently by using different theoretical focusing on
style choices, plot lenses. It is often the case that a single devices, and
character interactions and how they show a certain theme issues such as
male-female relationships.
2) What do you mean by gender? What can be its relevance to
literature?
Gender
Studies assumes 'gender' as a social and cultural construct and therefore it is
prone to change. In other words, the concept of 'gender' (masculinity or
femininity in personality traits and behavior) is independent of biology;
rather it is determined by historical, cultural, and social circumstances. In
determining a person's gender, the individual's occupational interests and
pursuits are powerful than traditionally assigned roles to respective gender.
The
gender perspective or gender criticism has its roots in gender studies. It is a
part of gender studies. It is therefore necessary to understand what gender
studies are and how and why gender studies began. Gender studies refer to the
teaching, studying and researching of gender-related issues.
The
academic study of gender has a relatively short history. It emerged in the
1960s in the Western World. The development of this field was triggered by
second wave feminism. It is a feminist movement that began in the United States
in the 1960s and continued till the end of the 1980s. This movement challenged
the prevailing gender inequalities, in both personal relationships and in
economic and political sectors. The movement sought equality for women in all
spheres of life. It questioned the patriarchal values that hindered women's
active participation in family and society. It focused on issues such as
sexuality, reproduction right, male-dominated cultural practices, motherhood,
male violence, women's right to decision-making, and differences and
inequalities between women and men.
One of the prime goals of gender studies is to study women's lives and
experiences, interests, identity as well as their position in socio-economic
life. This area of study is known as women's studies which are the result of
feminism's second wave. Women's studies began during the late 1960s in the US
and in the 1970s in the UK. The fundamental premise of women's studies is that
women are worthy of study in their own right. Women's studies primarily draw on
feminist theory to critically examine social and cultural constructs of gender,
the socio political system that privileges men and oppresses women, problematic
relationships between sex and gender, and gender difference and discrimination.
At present gender studies have emerged as a broad interdisciplinary academic
field that includes women's studies or feminism, men's studies, and queer
studies. Gender Studies is a branch of feminist criticism which aims to explore
the different meanings attached to masculinity and femininity in literature,
history and culture. It is dedicated to the study of feminine, masculine, and
LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) identity.
While
analyzing a literary text through gender perspective, readers observe the gender
role on various bases. The gender perspective looks at the impact of gender on
people's opportunities, social roles, and interactions. So, it is relevant to
literature.
3) What do you mean by gender criticism? How is it related to
gender studies?
The
gender perspective or gender criticism has its roots in gender studies. It is a
part of gender studies. It is therefore necessary to understand what gender
studies are and how and why gender studies began. Gender studies refer to the
teaching, studying and researching of gender-related issues.
The
academic study of gender has a relatively short history. It emerged in the
1960s in the Western World. The development of this field was triggered by
second wave feminism. It is a feminist movement that began in the United States
in the 1960s and continued till the end of the 1980s. This movement challenged
the prevailing gender inequalities, in both personal relationships and in
economic and political sectors. The movement sought equality for women in all
spheres of life. It questioned the patriarchal values that hindered women's
active participation in family and society. It focused on issues such as
sexuality, reproduction right, male-dominated cultural practices, motherhood,
male violence, women's right to decision-making, and differences and
inequalities between women and men.
One of the prime goals of gender studies is to study women's lives and
experiences, interests, identity as well as their position in socio-economic
life. This area of study is known as women's studies which are the result of
feminism's second wave. Women's studies began during the late 1960s in the US
and in the 1970s in the UK. The fundamental premise of women's studies is that
women are worthy of study in their own right. Women's studies primarily draw on
feminist theory to critically examine social and cultural constructs of gender,
the socio political system that privileges men and oppresses women, problematic
relationships between sex and gender, and gender difference and discrimination.
At present gender studies have emerged as a broad interdisciplinary academic
field that includes women's studies or feminism, men's studies, and queer
studies. Gender Studies is a branch of feminist criticism which aims to explore
the different meanings attached to masculinity and femininity in literature,
history and culture. It is dedicated to the study of feminine, masculine, and
LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) identity.
While
analyzing a literary text through gender perspective, readers observe the
gender role on various bases. The gender perspective looks at the impact of
gender on people's opportunities, social roles, and interactions. So, it is
related to gender studies.
4) How is gender constructed socially? Give some examples of
culturally specified roles of men and women from your community.
The
gender perspective or criticism treats gender as more of a continuum than of
binary oppositions such as male sex and female sex. Even biologically, there is
a third category of people who do not identify as male or female. They are
neither male nor female or a combination of male gender and female gender. In
terms of sexual orientation and sexuality, a person can be heterosexual,
homosexual, or bisexual. It means there is no one-to-one relationship between a
person's sex and his/her gender.
The difference between sex and gender lies at the heart of gender criticism.
Sex is a person's identification as male or female. It is determined by
anatomy. Gender on the other hand is masculinity or femininity in personality
traits and behavior. Masculinity refers to the qualities, behaviors, and roles
associated with men, whereas femininity designates those qualities, behaviors,
and roles associated with women. Masculinity and femininity both are socially
constructed.
Gender
is therefore largely independent of anatomy and is subject to socio-cultural
norms and expectations. It is diverse, changeable, and dependent on
socio-political and cultural situations where persons find themselves. A
person's sexual identity, sexual behavior and sexual orientation all are
socially constructed. It means sex (male and female) is biological, whereas
masculinity and femininity are socio cultural.
Gender represents the socially acceptable and socially acquired forms of being
either male or female. It includes everything a person does as a male or female
person- the clothes he/she wears (e.g. jeans, T-shirt, sari), choices of
leisure activities and hobbies (e.g. painting, horse riding, gardening,
knitting), the career that one pursues (e.g. teacher, nurse, secretary), the
company one keeps (e.g. male, female or both) and so on. These activities are
not biologically determined. Instead, they are acquired socially and hence
differ from society to society.
Each
society assigns certain roles to its members according to their sex and expects
them to behave accordingly. For example, Nepali women are conventionally
expected to look after household affairs and take care of their children. It
often gives the impression that women are naturally better suited to such
domestic roles. However, there is no biological justification for such gendered
roles.
Gender
roles assigned to men and women are made by society rather than by nature. For
example, a husband working in the office or busy in outdoor activities and a
wife busy in the world of domesticity are not determined by nature or by birth.
Such roles are culturally specified and perpetuated for the benefit of one
gender (i.e. males) rather than the other (i.e. females). Culturally defined
roles like these give more freedom to men than women. As feminist critics, we
should analyze the roles assigned to female and male characters by the author.
5) What is gender co-existence? Why is it important for a healthy
relationship between men and women?
Coexistence
has a political meaning. It is a state where two or more groups of people are
living together and resolving their conflicts without resorting to violence.
The policy of coexistence encourages different nations or communities to accept
each other's differences and live together in peace.
This
concept of coexistence can be transferred to the gender relationship or the
relationship among men, women and people of other genders. It is the state in
which men and women acknowledge and respect each other's existence. It is the
way of acknowledged each other's presence in and contribution to human
civilization. Only in the state of co-existence, women can say with pride and
dignity 'We are equal contributors to human civilization'. Like men, we have
our own voices and visions. We want to express them. We want to actualize them.
We are subjects, not mere objects to be controlled or manipulated by men.
Hence
gender coexistence is the advocacy of equal presence of women, and their equal
participation in all walks of society. In fact, society runs only means of
coexistence of all genders of people. People of all genders can live without
prejudice or discrimination, and benefit from each other in a society that
respects coexistence.
Patriarchy has not only marginalized women but also has dehumanized men. It has
presented men in a negative way- aggressive, assertive, competitive- often
lacking in love and emotion. Patriarchal society forces men to wear the false
mask of manness and to hide their feminine qualities. By limiting the freedom
of women, men are limiting their own freedom. In other words, men cannot be
free and liberated as long as women remain in bondage.
In the patriarchal society, men occupy a higher position and hold authority. As
a result, there is a vertical relationship between men and women. This type of
relationship is similar to that of the master and the servant. No mutual love
and respect foster in such a relationship. Gender coexistence defies this type
of hierarchy between men and women. Coexistence is the pursuit of power balance
between men and women for the development of a healthy and balanced society.
This
concept assumes that men and women have equal rights and opportunities in
realizing their full potentialities and dignity, and for contributing to and
benefitting from economic, social, cultural and political development. To
accept the co-existence or gender equality is, therefore, to value similarities
and differences between men and women, and the roles they play.
It
is based on women and men being partners in the home, community and society.
This concept believes that women's and men's rights, responsibilities and
opportunities do not depend on their birth as male or female. Gender equality
implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are
taken into consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups and
that all human beings are free to develop their personal abilities and make
choices without the limitations set by stereotypes and prejudices about gender
roles.
Gender
equity is a process of being fair to men and women and importantly the equality
of outcomes and results. Gender equity may involve the use of temporary special
measures to compensate for historical or systemic bias or discrimination.
Equity ensures that women and men have an equal chance, not only at the
starting point, but also when reaching the finishing line. It is about the fair
and just treatment of both sexes that considers the different needs of the men
and women, cultural barriers, and discrimination of the specific group.
6) How has patriarchal ideology favored men and discriminated
against women?
Patriarchal
ideology favors men and discriminates against women. Men are regarded as the
controllers with the ability to rule the family, society, and the nation. Men
occupy most of the positions of power, whereas women are not considered
rationally strong enough to hold such positions. Worst of all, patriarchy
defines a woman in relation to a man. In the words, a woman is regarded as a
"second sex" with the implication that a man is a primary sex.
Feminist critics argue that patriarchal ideology oppresses women. Patriarchal
ideology refers to a set of beliefs and assumptions made by men to continue
their dominance over women. This ideology gives advantages to men and
marginalizes women. It treats women biologically, intellectually and rationally
inferior to men. As a result, women in the traditional society are expected to
carry out such roles such looking after household chores, feeding and raising
children, teaching cultural values to children, etc.
Objectification of women is another important issue raised by feminist critics.
They note that patriarchy objectifies women. Objectification is the act of
treating a person as an object rather than a human being. Patriarchy treats a
woman as an object of man's pleasure and entertainment. It gives more value to
her body than her character and intelligence. Women "are not viewed as
independent human beings with their own goals, needs and desires. Rather they
are evaluated in terms of their usefulness to patriarchal men". They are
often treated as goods for a transaction. Patriarchy fosters the cult of true
womanhood. Society idealized a woman and expected her to possess and practice
certain virtues such as piety, purity, submission and domesticity.
Feminist
criticism involves reading the literary work from the perspective of women's
experiences. It invites the reader to read a literary work and analyze it to
see how women are portrayed. Gender perspective and particularly the feminist
perspective criticize patriarchy and question conventional gender roles of both
men and women as portrayed in literary works. Such questioning can
counterbalance the prevalent gender inequality and contribute to gender
equality, equity and empowerment of women. The empowerment of women is
necessary for the harmonious co-existence of men and women in society.
In
the patriarchal society, men occupy a higher position and hold authority. As a
result, there is a vertical relationship between men and women. This type of
relationship is similar to that of the master and the servant. No mutual love
and respect foster in such a relationship.
Patriarchy
has not only marginalized women but also has dehumanized men. It has presented
men in a negative way- aggressive, assertive, competitive- often lacking in
love and emotion. Patriarchal society forces men to wear the false mask of
manness and to hide their feminine qualities. By limiting the freedom of women,
men are limiting their own freedom. In other words, men cannot be free and
liberated as long as women remain in bondage.
7) What are the key differences between sex and gender as
pointed out by gender critics?
The
gender perspective or criticism treats gender as more of a continuum than of
binary oppositions such as male sex and female sex. Even biologically, there is
a third category of people who do not identify as male or female. They are
neither male nor female or a combination of male gender and female gender. In
terms of sexual orientation and sexuality, a person can be heterosexual,
homosexual, or bisexual. It means there is no one-to-one relationship between a
person's sex and his/her gender.
The difference between sex and gender lies at the heart of gender criticism.
Sex is a person's identification as male or female. It is determined by
anatomy. Gender on the other hand is masculinity or femininity in personality
traits and behavior. Masculinity refers to the qualities, behaviors, and roles
associated with men, whereas femininity designates those qualities, behaviors,
and roles associated with women. Masculinity and femininity both are socially
constructed.
Gender
is therefore largely independent of anatomy and is subject to socio-cultural
norms and expectations. It is diverse, changeable, and dependent on
socio-political and cultural situations where persons find themselves. A person's
sexual identity, sexual behavior and sexual orientation all are socially
constructed. It means sex (male and female) is biological, whereas masculinity
and femininity are socio cultural.
Gender represents the socially acceptable and socially acquired forms of being
either male or female. It includes everything a person does as a male or female
person- the clothes he/she wears (e.g. jeans, T-shirt, sari), choices of
leisure activities and hobbies (e.g. painting, horse riding, gardening,
knitting), the career that one pursues (e.g. teacher, nurse, secretary), the
company one keeps (e.g. male, female or both) and so on. These activities are
not biologically determined. Instead, they are acquired socially and hence
differ from society to society.
Each
society assigns certain roles to its members according to their sex and expects
them to behave accordingly. However, there is no biological justification for
such gendered roles. Gender roles assigned to men and women are made by society
rather than by nature. For example, a husband working in the office or busy in
outdoor activities and a wife busy in the world of domesticity are not
determined by nature or by birth. Such roles are culturally specified and
perpetuated for the benefit of one gender (i.e. males) rather than the other
(i.e. females). Culturally defined roles like these give more freedom to men
than women. As feminist critics, we should analyze the roles assigned to female
and male characters by the author.
Best of Luck
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