Feminism In Contemporary American Literature

The desire to live freely and independently is an innate urge of humankind and women are no exceptions to it. Looking at the world from women’s point of view is feminism. Revolting against oppression, exploitation, sexism, job discrimination, domestic violence and stereotype sex roles is feminism. Discarding destructive masculinity is feminism. Feminism acknowledges women as competent, intelligent and responsible human beings, capable of making independent decisions and contributing to social and national progress. Feminism is the strife to achieve equality in society. Literature too was dominated by the male sex. Women were considered to be lacking in wit, intelligence and creative talents. At the most they were

She had worked slowly and steadily over the years to be honoured as a titanic figure amidst the American poets. Her poetry candidly and boldly expresses the politics of sexuality, race, language, power and women’s culture. In Snapshots of a Daughter-in-Law, Rich reveals her emerging feminist consciousness. She says: I was writing at the beginning of a decade of political revolt and hope and activism …. Even before I named myself a feminist, or a lesbian, I felt compelled to bring together, in my understanding and in my poems, the political world 1.

Towards the close of 1950s an autonomous women’s movement was gaining momentum. The feminists held economic exploitation, terrorism, colonialism and imperialism responsible for women’s oppression. Exploitation of women within the family, in married life, in the heterosexual relation and in childbearing were also considered oppressive. The feminist wanted to break free the stereotype sex roles forced on

It is considered her transitional work. Rich’s own real life experiences and her observations of life concerning the true situation of women in patriarchal society has found way in this volume. The pitiable condition of women in and out of the family, the exploitation of women in every field, the continuous tortures inflicted on them and the corresponding shattering of their nerves all influenced Rich so much so that she decided to write for women’s situation. Snapshots of a Daughter-in-Law is her break through volume. It is here that Rich for the first time asserts herself as a feminist