Modernism - Womanhood and Femininity

Modernism - Womanhood and Femininity

  • Submitted By: dapinder
  • Date Submitted: 12/29/2010 7:38 AM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 3410
  • Page: 14
  • Views: 1

To what extent does modernist and/or postmodernist literature and/or film confirm or question the dominant ideologies of womanhood and femininity? How does it do this?

Postmodernism is the reaction of the development of the modernism movement, it consists after the modernism movement from a literal point of view. Postmodernism can be defined by a set of perspectives which are mainly used as a critical point of view in such works as literature, drama and cinema to name but a few. One of the dominant perspectives to postmodernism is feminism; many argue that the representation of women and femininity isn’t represented in a positive manner in things such as literature and cinema. This can be due to the influence factors such as race and class have upon society; Susan Bordo argued gender “is so thoroughly fragmented by race, class, historical particularity, and individual difference, as to self-destruct as an analytical category.” (Bordo cited in Nicholson, 1990, Pg 133). It is due to this that “the ‘bonds of womanhood’, she insisted is a feminist fantasy, born out of the ethnocentrism of white, middle-class academics.” (Bordo cited in Nicholson, 1990, Pg 133). In other words it can be seen to mean, no matter how people try to show a balance between both sexes in many ways, the dominant perception of female figures within literature and film are somewhat seen to be a mere feminist point that is trying to be proven.
Womanhood and femininity ideologies are used in literature and cinema either to support or question critics and perspectives as well as stereotypes set in society concerning feminism. Womanhood and femininity is mainly a reference to qualities and behaviours stereotypically or ideally associated with females; physical bodily attributes are also considered in defining or recognising femininity for example, cleavage. Material things such as high heels and corsets are considered to be feminine not forgetting the major factor of makeup and cosmetics, as...

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