Importance of Feminist Literature in Highlighting the Concept of Feminism

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Importance of Feminist Literature in Highlighting the Concept of Feminism
Women have for centuries been discriminated and victimized by the male gender. The society has branded and stereotyped them as the inferior gender incapable of doing some of the activities done by men. In some cultures, women were seen as caretakers of their homesteads and their primary responsibility being taking care of the husbands and children. The same case was witnessed during the early periods of the 20th century in the United States when sexism made it impossible for women to live their lives or get decent jobs freely. Women have, therefore, had to fight for equal recognition in the society and it is that regard that feminist literature was developed. As the name suggests, feminist literature provides a platform for women to voice their concerns about the male-dominated society and to provide solace for all their troubles. The “Yellow Wallpaper” by Gilman Perkins and “Sweat” by Zora Hurston are just two pieces of literature that have been able to offer a vivid picture of the concept of feminism. The women characters in the narratives are born in a patriarchal society that does not give them a chance to be heard. Their determination to break loose from the patriarchal chains leads to adverse effects to their health.
The “Yellow Wallpaper” and “Sweat” both depict the characters of women struggling to survive in a patriarchal society that limits their freedom. Throughout history, women have been portrayed as inferior and who always require the guidance and care of men. From the “Yellow Wallpaper”, Gilman Perkins details the over possessive nature of the husband, John towards his wife. Despite being a doctor by profession, John keeps his wife locked up in the house thereby derailing her status of healing. The author shares that the wife had a mental illness; therefore, locking her up does little to remedy the situation and on the contrary, shows the dominance of men in that society (Gilman 647). The lack of freedom is exhibited further when it is noted that the wife does not have the power to make independent decisions. The protagonist reiterates the same and states “My brother is also a physician, and also of high standing, and he says the same thing” (Gilman 650). John chooses not only the wallpaper for the nursery but also decides that they should stay in the upstairs bedroom much to the displeasure of the wife who loathes the wall paper and preferred the prettier downstairs (Gilman 648). Similarly, in “Sweat”, the protagonist Deliah has withstood physical, emotional and verbal abuse from her husband for 15 years (Hurston 87). She is trapped in the situation because of the stereotypes spread by the society that looks down upon women who divorce from their husbands. Freedom entails being able to make individual choices and decisions and which as per the evidence provided above was not an option for the women characters in the narratives. The women were engulfed in some society expected norms that required them to be seen but not heard and also to stick through their relationships regardless of the physical and emotional abuses...