Feminist Literary Criticism Defined

Feminist literary criticism (also known as feminist criticism) is the literary analysis that arises from the viewpoint of feminism, ​feminist theory, and/or feminist politics. Critical Methodology A feminist literary critic resists traditional assumptions while reading a text. In addition to challenging assumptions which were thought to be universal, feminist literary criticism actively supports including womens knowledge in literature and valuing womens experiences. The basic methods of feminist literary criticism include: Identifying with female characters: By examining the way female characters are defined, critics challenge the male-centered outlook of authors. Feminist literary criticism suggests that women in literature have been historically presented as objects seen from a male perspective.Reevaluating literature and the world in which literature is read: By revisiting the classic literature, the critic can question whether society has predominantly valued male authors and their literary works because it has valued males more than females. Embodying or Undercutting Stereotypes Feminist literary criticism recognizes that literature both reflects and shapes stereotypes and other cultural assumptions.  Thus, feminist literary criticism examines how works of literature embody patriarchal attitudes or undercut them, sometimes both happening within the same work. Feminist theory and various forms of feminist critique began long before the formal naming of the school of literary criticism. In so-called first-wave feminism, the Womans Bible, written in the late 19th century by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, is an example of a work of criticism firmly in this school, looking beyond the more obvious male-centered outlook and interpretation. PhotoQuest / Getty Images During the period of second-wave feminism, academic circles increasingly challenged the male literary canon. Feminist literary criticism has since intertwined with postmodernism and increasingly complex questions of gender and societal roles. Tools of the Feminist Literary Critic Feminist literary criticism may bring in tools from other critical disciplines, such as historical analysis, psychology, linguistics, sociological analysis, economic analysis, for instance.  Feminist criticism may also look at intersectionality, looking at how factors including race, sexuality, physical ability, and class are also involved. Feminist literary criticism may use any of the following methods: Deconstructing the way that women characters are described in novels, stories, plays, biographies, and histories, especially if the author is maleDeconstructing how ones own gender influences how one reads and interprets a text, and which characters and how the reader identifies depending on the readers genderDeconstructing how women autobiographers and biographers of women treat their subjects, and how biographers treat women who are secondary to the main subjectDescribing relationships between the literary text and ideas about power and sexuality and genderCritique of patriarchal or woman-marginalizing language, such as a universal use of the masculine pronouns he and himNoticing and unpacking differences in how men and women write: a style, for instance, where women use more reflexive language and men use more direct language (example: she let herself in vs. he opened the door)Reclaiming women writers who are little known or have been marginalized or undervalued, sometimes referre d to as expanding or criticizing the canon—the usual list of important authors and works  (Examples include raising up the contributions of early playwright ​Aphra Behn, showing how she was treated differently than male writers from her own time forward, and the retrieval of Zora Neale Hurstons writing by Alice Walker.)Reclaiming the female voice as a valuable contribution to literature, even if formerly marginalized or ignoredAnalyzing multiple works in a genre as an overview of a feminist approach to that genre: for example, science fiction or detective fictionAnalyzing multiple works by a single author (often female)Examining how relationships between men and women and those assuming male and female roles are depicted in the text, including power relationsExamining the text to find ways in which patriarchy is resisted or could have been resisted Feminist literary criticism is distinguished from gynocriticism because feminist literary criticism may also analyze and deconstruct literary works of men. Gynocriticism Gynocriticism, or gynocritics, refers to the literary study of women as writers. It is a critical practice exploring and recording female creativity. Gynocriticism attempts to understand women’s writing as a fundamental part of female reality. Some critics now use â€Å"gynocriticism† to refer to the practice and â€Å"gynocritics† to refer to the practitioners. American literary critic Elaine Showalter coined the term gynocritics in her 1979 essay â€Å"Towards a Feminist Poetics.† Unlike feminist literary criticism, which might analyze works by male authors from a feminist perspective, gynocriticism wanted to establish a literary tradition of women without incorporating male authors. Showalter felt that feminist criticism still worked within male assumptions, while gynocriticism would begin a new phase of women’s self-discovery. Resources and Further Reading Alcott, Louisa May. The Feminist Alcott: Stories of a Womans Power. Edited by Madeleine B. Stern, Northeastern University, 1996.Barr, Marleen S. Lost in Space: Probing Feminist Science Fiction and Beyond. University of North Carolina, 1993.Bolin, Alice. Dead Girls: Essays on Surviving an American Obsession. William Morrow, 2018.Burke, Sally. American Feminist Playwrights: A Critical History. Twayne, 1996.Carlin, Deborah. Cather, Canon, and the Politics of Reading. University of Massachusetts, 1992.Castillo, Debra A. Talking Back: Toward a Latin American Feminist Literary Criticism. Cornell University, 1992.Chocano, Carina. You Play the Girl. Mariner, 2017.Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar, editors. Feminist Literary Theory and Criticism: A Norton Reader. Norton, 2007.Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar, editors. Shakespeares Sisters: Feminist Essays on Women Poets. Indiana University, 1993.Lauret, Maria. Liberating Literature: Feminist Fiction in America. Routledge, 1994.Lavigne, C arlen. Cyberpunk Women, Feminism and Science Fiction: A Critical Study. McFarland, 2013.Lorde, Audre. Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches. Penguin, 2020.Perreault, Jeanne. Writing Selves: Contemporary Feminist Autography. University of Minnesota, 1995.Plain, Gill, and Susan Sellers, editors. A History of Feminist Literary Criticism. Cambridge University, 2012.Smith, Sidonie, and Julia Watson, editors. De/Colonizing the Subject: The Politics of Gender in Womens Autobiography. University of Minnesota, 1992. This article was edited and with significant additions by Jone Johnson Lewis

John Milton s Paradise Lost - 2313 Words

The concept of revenge has prevailed as an integral component of literature, exemplified in Paradise Lost written by John Milton among other works. In Paradise Lost, Satan acts as the main proponent of revenge. The actions of his character create the basis for a Miltonic ideal of revenge, later modified by Emily Brontà « and Mary Shelley. Wuthering Heights written by Brontà « presents Heathcliff as a modernization of Satan. The characters share the experience of evolving from their lives as outcasts within their societies by means of revenge. The monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein romanticizes the Miltonic concept of revenge found in Paradise Lost. Although the creation and experiences of Satan and the monster differ, their premises for revenge become similar as the monster realizes his contempt toward his position within society and desires to retaliate. While the revenge exemplified in Paradise Lost shares similarities with both Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein, the origins of the desire for revenge, as well as its function within each book, differ due to changing life and literary styles following the writing of Paradise Lost. While the roots of the revenge of Satan lay in a desire for power, Heathcliff and the creature use revenge as a means to chase love and companionship. Satan finds his motivation for revenge throughout the epic in the pursuit of glory. The most vengeful character, Satan reacts with indignant impulse following the appointment of the son ofShow MoreRelatedJohn Milton s Paradise Lost985 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Milton’s Paradise Lost is a paradox of morality and character definitions. After reading multiple articles, the largest concerning topic was the hero status of an inherently evil character. The issue lies within defining what a hero is and is not in terms of epic poetry. John Milton’s refusal to clarify a hero shows this paradox he has created is a something that he meant to achieve. According t o Mary Nyquist in The Father s Word/Satan s Wrath, â€Å"The text seems here not just to invite, butRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost1636 Words   |  7 Pagessense to the readers, but would also influence how the readers understood those topics. John Milton’s, Paradise Lost, is a series of twelve Books that tell the story of creation and the world’s first sin, and he relates that to the political distress that was occurring in the seventeenth century and his political agenda in trying to advocate a Parliamentary system versus a monarchy. Throughout his novel, Milton focuses a great deal of time creating a backstory for Satan, who is the protagonist. AdamRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost1738 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Milton sought to a very ambitious thing with his greatest work, Paradise Lost. He boldly asserted himself to the epic tradition, the most difficult genre. Further, the goal of his writing was perhaps the hardest topic a human being can engage with, the problem of evil. At the risk of being cliche, the old adage, â€Å"If you lose your faith over anything less than the problem of evil, you are simply not thinking.† seems fitting. Milton seems at least, whatever his faults, to understand the weightRead MoreAnalysis Of John Milton s Paradise Lost 1071 Words   |  5 Pages Writing AP Exam Essays Advanced Placement English Literature Composition Name Juan Linares Major Work Data Page Paradise Lost Writer/Nationality John Milton/ UK 1608-1674 Theme/Meanings of the work as a whole Disobedience plays a key role in the unfolding of Milton’s poem. Satan disobeys God because God gave him free will, and causes Eve to disobey Adam, to disobey God. Justification of God. Death must happen to the world but because of the Son, DeathRead MoreAnalysis Of John Milton s Paradise Lost1442 Words   |  6 Pages(Name) (Instructor) (Course) (Date) Heroism in John Milton’s Paradise Lost There are many definitions of a hero, and establishing the hero in John Milton’s Paradise Lost has been object to scholarly debate. One definition of a hero is that by Aristotle, who defined a hero as a person who is divine and superhuman. However, other definitions encompass the aspect of virtue in heroism. Despite all the definitions for a hero, it remains factual that a hero would be someone that the readers would delightRead MoreAnalysis Of John Milton s Paradise Lost 1852 Words   |  8 Pagesnot merely summarize the plot. (2010 AP Literature and Composition) Disobedience and Exile an Analysis of Satan from Milton’s Paradise Lost John Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost, has been the subject of criticism and interpretation through many years; these interpretations concur in that Adam and Eve are the sufferers of the poem, and it is their blight to lose Paradise because of their disobedience; however, their exile is merely a plight brought by Satan, and it is he who suffers exile beforeRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost 1328 Words   |  6 PagesRobert Mezian Professor Mylander English 589 14 November 2016 Paradise Lost Essay In his epic poem titled Paradise Lost, John Milton describes his work as a process to justify â€Å"the ways of God to men†. In terms of the personal and individual, Milton’s main concern was between a man’s relationship and God. With this, comes the very idea of free will itself. One can define free will as the ability and freedom to choose between different possible courses of action. Not only is free will portrayed inRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost1528 Words   |  7 Pagesfree world. God judges no one and forgives all for his or her sins. God is an honest being. The last statement might not be the case in John Milton’s Paradise Lost. The fall of Adam and Eve is truly a tragic tale. Some suggest that their fall could have been prevented. However, after close examination, one can believe that it might not be that simple in Paradise Lost. God displays some questionable actions in the process that eventually leads to the fall. While not the popular opinion to some, God isRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost921 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Milton’s Paradise Lost continues the epic tradition developed by the ancient Greek and Roman poets. Composed in exact imitation of its predecessors, the work depicts all characteristics of a traditional epic poem—including the epic hero, a powerful embodiment of societal values. Milton presents his hero in a most unpredictable form: Satan. Despite the unorthodox oddity, the former archangel exhibits the conventions of an epic hero. Milton’s forced perception of Satan as the hero of the poemRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost1686 Words   |  7 Pagesand bled into the writing it produced. John Milton’s Paradise Lost is no exception to this, as it explores human sexuality and gender roles. It has been argued that when Adam and Eve are described as â€Å"Two of far nobler shape erect and tall,/ Godlike erect† (4.288-289) there is no distinction between the two , and that they are being portrayed, even by Satan, as equal. This is the reader’s first introduction to Eve who, based on these two lines from Paradise Lost, is Adam’s equivalent in power and in

Flight DL-3 free essay sample

As I located my seat, I encountered an older couple from another country seated beside me. The woman was wrapped in a red and purple shawl, and the man was dressed in a tight brown antiquated suit, and seemed to fidget under its restrictiveness. â€Å"Hello, how are you?† I said to the couple but got no response, only a confused expression. After hearing them talk in, what sounded like jumbled monotones, I realized their country of origin and language were completely unknown to me. I settled into my seat and thought about the summer reading assignment I planned to finish during my flight back home from London to the U.S. As the flight departed, the couple struggled to buckle their seatbelts, pull down their tray table, and open their food packages. I assumed the role of stand-in caretaker, helping the couple with seemingly basic tasks. After trying to communicate in English and broken Spanish, I resorted to hand signals, pointing at items, and trying desperately to communicate a practical idea. We will write a custom essay sample on Flight DL-3 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We played multiple rounds of charades, but all attempts to communicate ended in a frustrated sigh. I looked around the plane at the passengers immersed in their own activities, unwilling to even notice the confused couple. I felt alone in a sea of selfish people. Some passengers who did notice simply smirked, happy they were not the ones in my position. Even the flight attendants avoided interaction with the couple. When I did ask for their help, I got the generic response of â€Å"we’ll be right with you, sir.† Assistance never came. The flight attendants seemed engrossed in other tasks like preparing meals and servicing the first class passengers. I put myself in the couple’s position and wondered how I would have felt if I were flying to an unknown land and spoke a different language. I would have wanted someone to help me and show me a little compassion. With that thought, I gained renewed faith in my purpose. We exchanged smiles and laughs. Our language bar rier was so profound it was comical, and our frustrations became humorous. Each time I helped the couple, they clasped their hands together and bowed their heads, a universal sign of gratitude. In his heavy accent, the man stuttered â€Å"thank you,† probably one of the only English words he knew, and likely learned from listening to other passengers. In response, I imitated the man’s bowing gesture, expressing mutual respect. After the flight, I thought about the couple. I still wondered where they were from and where they were going. Were they escaping poverty? Persecution? Social strife? Or were they simply vacationing? Visiting relatives? The image of them in a bustling JFK International Airport made me cringe. Turning, I caught my last glimpse of the couple, smiling and seemingly content. When I tell the story to others they ask, â€Å"Why did you do all that for a couple of strangers?† I too originally felt the couple was somebody else’s problem. After the flight, I even complained to the airline for their lack of assistance. I now realize that if people keep denying responsibility, no one will ever take responsibility. The couple’s laughs, gestures, and emotions reminded me that they were human, and humans no matter what ethnicity should be treated with compassion. By helping the couple, I realized how small actions can make a difference.

Traditional Quality Management

Question: Using Benchmarking and a tool of your choice from the list below, critically evaluate how an organisation can successfully implement the TQM tool that you have chosen. Six Sigma Quality Circles Jidoka JIT (Just in Time) TPC (Total Product Concept) Kaizen Answer: Introduction The report discusses the different tools of total quality management in a business organization. The author in this report discusses one of the most important tools of quality management in a business organization that is benchmarking. There are some other tools that manage the total quality in the business. Some of them that are discussed in this report are Quality Circles, Six Sigma and Total Product Concept to name a few (Goetsch and Davis 2014). Firstly it has been discussed briefly about the concept of total quality management in a business organization. The total quality Management (TQM) denotes the steps that the management of the business organization takes to bring about long term success in the business by providing immense satisfaction to the customers through their services (Oakland 2014). All members in the business organisation work for improvement in the process, services and products of the company. The members also work hard for the betterment of the work culture in the business organization. All these forms a part of the total quality management in the business organization (Golder et al. 2012). Some of the marketing experts call total quality management to be total productive maintenance. Total quality management is the system of the management of an organization that is mainly customer focused (Rigby and Bilodeau 2015). The total quality management techniques utilize data, strategies and effective and significant communications to establish better discipline and work flow into the business organization. An important successor to the total quality management, the modern quality systems, consists of most of these concepts that the author discussed above (Asq.org 2016). Organization That Needs To Be Benchmarked Capgemini is the organization that needs to be benchmarked. The main step in the continuous improvement of the company is termed as benchmarking. The benchmarking of Capgemini can be used in the following ways: The benchmarking is mainly used to obtain a set of performance measures which is used to assess the level of competence as well as the effectiveness of the company. It is used in order to increase an understanding of the key cost drivers. It is used to set the target for the improvement of the performance. It is used to obtain the external viewpoint on performance. Capgemini will be able to track the development of the initiatives of improvement. Capgemini will be able to identify the trends in the industry and it will also be able to improve the standard of the performance. With the benchmarking, Capgemini will be able to obtain empirical comparison with its competitors (Susha et al. 2014). (Source: Created by the author) The five essential phases in the case of Capgemini includes the following: (Source: Created by the author) Where is it now Capgemini, one of the foremost providers of consulting, outsourcing services as well as technology in the world is located across Europe, Asia Pacific and North America. What area needs improvement Capgemini is generally a Centre of Excellence of Oil and Gas which in turn provides a full spectrum of consulting as well as the services of outsourcing to the oil and gas industry. The company has been conducting the benchmarking studies in order to identify the area of improvement since the year 1992. With the help of benchmarking, the area of strength and opportunities for improvement was analyzed. With the help of benchmarking, the manufacturers will be able to understand the individual performance against the competition as well as they will be able to identify the performance gaps. It also helps Capgemini to improve the overall decision making regarding the investments related to IT as well as outsourcing. The areas of improvement will include the metrics that consists of the sales growth as well as the improvement in the net income growth. The Organization You Will Benchmark Against The organization that will be benchmarked against Capgemini is Accenture which is a global management consulting as well as a technology services and outsourcing company and is also one of the biggest competitor of Capgemini. What do they do Accenture mainly operates in more than 200 cities over 56 countries and it consists of a labor force of more than 336,000 people. The main benchmarking process that is followed by Accenture is a five-step benchmarking process. The first step involves the process of planning with the help of which the company gathers data, defines the main person and milestone and it also execute the formal kick off and communication. As a result, this specific planning avoids the mistakes in benchmarking. The second part involves the collection of the data gathering the consolidated data and validating data as per the organizational unit. The third step includes the allocating of the consolidated data and validating data as per the organizational unit. The fourth step involves the analyzing of the results and also explaining the results qualitatively. How do they achieve it The critical benefits of Accenture are delivered with the help of benchmarking which helps to improve the operation of the organization. The benchmarking process helps the organization to discover, deliver and to maintain the enhanced value of the trade. In the first stage, Accenture launches the initiatives and devises the policies to gather the required data. As a part of this effort, the company identifies and trains the individuals who are responsible for gathering the data. In the second phase, Accenture gathers the data that needs to be evaluated. They generally do this by the collection of the standard data and formatting the template. After the collection of the data is completed, the company produces an opening benchmark in comparison with its competitor (Wu et al. 2013). Analyze Benchmarking For This Process The Type of Partner Benefits Weaknesses Internal Common culture and knowledge Low threat Channels of communication comparatively quick return Only sufficient return Fostering of complacency External Similar Constraints Comparatively low threat Consideration which are legal What are the strengths of benchmarking for this organization In order to understand the output of the competitor, it is very important to deal with the competitive analysis of benchmarking. The strengths of benchmarking in the case of Accenture are as follows: Benchmarking will be able to help the company to set the base of the improvement of the performance which will in turn help Accenture to enhance among its competitors. As a result, if Accenture can live up to the benchmark it will be able to survive in the business. Benchmarking will be able to identify the best practices of Accenture and as a result, they will help to determine what constitute the main procedure of business. Strength of benchmarking in the case of Accenture is that, it will help the company to focus mainly on the change and it will also provide the direction for the process of the change. Lowering of the cost of the labor Benchmarking will also help to lower the cost of the labor. Increase of the sales and the profits of the organization With the help of benchmarking, Accenture will be able to increase the sale of the company and in turn it will increase the profits of the organization (Zwetsloot and Bezemer 2014). The tool of job satisfaction The culture of the organization can change with the help of benchmarking. The benchmarking process will help to produce a high degree of job satisfaction (Ealias and George 2012) What are the weaknesses of benchmarking for this organization The weaknesses of benchmarking in the case of Accenture are as follows: Benchmarking in turn increases the variety of information that is mainly monitored by the management that increases the probable for the information surplus. Benchmarking can also reduce the managerial motivation if Accenture gets compared with its rival namely Capgemini (Zhu 2014). What factors will impact the use of benchmarking The factors that will impact the use of benchmarking are as follows: The policies of the management Correct data entry as well as the setup of the system Staffa and driver morale Shop organization (Camp 2013). Solution Another Tool Another tool is required in this case because there are various weaknesses that are associated with benchmarking and this can be solved with the use of another tool of the total quality management. In this case, another tool that is used is the Six Sigma (Basu and Wright 2012). What other tool do you suggest as part of a TQM system Six Sigma is suggested in this case because the top managements like Capgemini and Accenture not only initiates the development of Six Sigma, but it also plays an important role in the development cycle. Six Sigma also eradicates the prospects of defects and thus the organization establishes a close relation with both the internal as well as the external customers. Six Sigma also mainly focuses on the strategic development of the organization that is it helps the companies to focus on the correct resources that includes the right workers, the right project as well as the right tools (Furterer 2016). New Tool Recommended Tool Six Sigma helps to measure the quality and it is a data-driven approach that helps to eliminate the defects of the company. The statistical representation of Six Sigma helps to describe how the process in an organization is performing (Pyzdek and Keller 2014). Reasons for using your new tool The Six Sigma services helps Capgemini to offer a broad range of solution that will help to undertake the challenges and also helps in designing as well as adopting the innovative trade models in order to outpace the competitors (Evans and Lindsay 2014). The Six Sigma service helps Accenture to integrate and make the business of Accenture powerful. Conclusion The report summarizes the concept of benchmarking an organization as part of the total quality management. Strength of benchmarking in the case of Accenture is that, it will help the company to focus mainly on the change and it will also provide the direction for the process of the change. The company, Capgemini has been conducting the benchmarking studies in order to identify the area of improvement since the year 1992. With the help of benchmarking, the area of strength and opportunities for improvement was analyzed. Benchmarking increases the variety of information that is mainly monitored by the management that increases the probable for the information surplus. The benchmarking process helps the organization to discover, deliver and to maintain the enhanced value of the trade. In the first stage, Accenture launches the initiatives and devises the policies to gather the required data. References Basu, R. and Wright, J.N. eds., 2012.Quality beyond six sigma. Routledge. Camp, R.C., 2013.Benchmarking: the search for industry best practices that lead to superior performance. Milwaukee, Wis.: Quality Press; Quality Resources, 1989.. Ealias, A. and George, J., 2012. Emotional intelligence and job satisfaction: a correlational study.Research journal of commerce and behavioral science,1(4). Evans, J.R. and Lindsay, W.M., 2014.An introduction to Six Sigma and process improvement. Cengage Learning. Furterer, S.L. ed., 2016.Lean Six Sigma in service: applications and case studies. CRC Press. Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014.Quality management for organizational excellence. pearson. Golder, P.N., Mitra, D. and Moorman, C., 2012. What is quality? An integrative framework of processes and states.Journal of Marketing,76(4), pp.1-23. Oakland, J.S., 2014.Total quality management and operational excellence: text with cases. Routledge. Pyzdek, T. and Keller, P.A., 2014.The six sigma handbook(p. 25). McGraw-Hill Education. Rigby, D. and Bilodeau, B., 2015. Management tools trends 2015.London, Bain Company. Susha, I., Zuiderwijk, A., Janssen, M. and Grnlund, ., 2014. Benchmarks for Evaluating the Progress of Open Data Adoption Usage, Limitations, and Lessons Learned.Social Science Computer Review, p.0894439314560852. Wu, Y., Lim, J. and Yang, M.H., 2013. Online object tracking: A benchmark. InProceedings of the IEEE conference on computer vision and pattern recognition(pp. 2411-2418). Zhu, J., 2014.Quantitative models for performance evaluation and benchmarking: data envelopment analysis with spreadsheets(Vol. 213). Springer. Zwetsloot, G.I.J.M. and Bezemer, R.A., 2014. Benchmarking safety culture in major hazards industries in the Rotterdam area (The Netherlands). In16th Process Plant Safety Symposium 2014, PPSS 2014-Topical Conference at the 2014 AIChE Spring Meeting and 10th Global Congress on Process Safety, 755-768. AIChE.