The Progress of Women in Literature
by: Samantha Ceballos
Feminist theory evolved as one way to analyze characters and plots to find the deeper meaning of a work in terms of the portrayal of women. Proto-feminists helped pave the way for modern-day feminists and the feminist movement. One of these proto-feminists, Emily Dickinson–not known for involvement in the feminist first wave—prevailed in expressing her ideas of a woman’s experiences in the nineteenth century. Chicana Feminist, Sandra Cisneros, has fought against unrealistic expectations placed on women by breaking stereotypes and creating her own reality. These two writers came from significantly different backgrounds and time periods, yet their writings both express anger towards the oppression of woman. Two poems, “My Life Had Stood a Loaded Gun” by Dickinson and “Loose Woman” by Cisneros, show feminism has come a long way.
The analysis of these two poems demonstrates how women expressed themselves then versus how they express themselves today, answering my question, “What in the writing reveals how life circumstances and acceptance of womanhood have changed between the nineteenth century and the second and third waves of feminism in America?”
Feminist Background
The American Feminist movement has experienced three waves. The Seneca Falls convention of 1848 started the first wave movement. At this point, “feminism was more concerned about domestic abuse, unequal pay for men and women, women’s lack of property rights, educational opportunities, divorce rights, and voting rights” (Habich, Nawatzki). The first wave fought for the basic rights of women to be able to protect, defend and educate themselves. The women of this movement wanted equality like their male counterparts. Second wave feminism happened in the 1960s and 70s. Alice Walker acted as one of the leading literary activists for this wave of feminism. This wave “addressed many issues of inequality facing American women, such as those in the workplace, law, and reproductive rights” (Gillespie). The second wave held interests in changing the women of society to hold better jobs and the right to decide over issues regarding their bodies. Third wave feminism deals not only with white middle class women but of women of all races, backgrounds. The third wave began due to a feeling of exclusion. This movement “emerged in the 1990s as a response to the ‘backlash’ against the political and social changes initiated by the women’s movement and the failure [to] incorporate broader definitions of women’s identity” (Moser). Third wave feminism principally focuses on women, but the fight for equality of people from any culture, any status also took precedence. Feminist criticisms centers on the relationship between women and men. It approaches literature through the eyes of women. As the essay “Feminist Criticism” states, “Feminist criticism recovers neglected female tradition and literary history from letter writers, diarists, journalists, poets, playwrights, and fiction writers who have received little scholarly recognition.” This form aims to give recognition to and bring to light the treatment of women and how the female mind and status has changed from male priority to the importance of both sexes. Feminist criticism will evaluate the characters presented in each poem in order to dig deeper into the treatment and relationships seen. This will allow the reader a window into how those relationships have changed from Dickinson’s time to now with Cisneros’.
Dickinson Analysis
Emily Dickinson’s poem, “My Life Had Stood a Loaded Gun,” presents many interpretations. By using a feminist lens to analyze this poem, the correlation between Dickinson and Cisneros presents itself.
“My Life Had Stood A Loaded Gun” expresses a metaphor for the parallel structure seen between woman and a man. The poem personifies woman as the gun and the owner/master as the man. Just as the gun waits in the corner for recognition by the owner, a woman in the 19th century had to wait for her husband or a male figure to acknowledge her presence. The identification and sudden change of surroundings for the gun seems like representation of a marriage between two people. According to Florence Hartley, author of The Ladies’ book Etiquette and Manual of Politeness,
Man should be the head of the human race, even as woman is its heart; that he should be its strength, as she is its solace; that he should be its wisdom, as she is its grace; that he should be its mind, its impetus, and its courage, as she is its sentiment, its charm, and its consolation. (294)
Security for the gun lies with the owner. The owner holds the “wisdom” in what he must shoot, but through the comfort and “charm” of his gun, man successfully catches his prey. The gun acts as the protector of her owner, thus also becoming another form of comfort to him. This puts in play the relationship between men and women of any time period. Women protect what they value which strengthens the metaphor of the woman as a gun. The fact that a gun holds power only in the hands of a master brings into focus the main point of the poem, male dominance.
The poet emphasizes the notion, the man must live longer than the gun. Assertion of this sentiment shows that men hold greater importance than women. An excellent argument from “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” issues a challenge to Rousseau’s comment, “Educate women like men and the more they resemble our sex the less power will they have over [men]” (63). To which Wollstonecraft responds, “I do not wish [women] to have power over men; but over themselves” (63). “My Life Had Stood a Loaded Gun” depicts just how much control a woman does not have over her own life. She must wait for vindication and use because just as the gun, woman cannot ask for attention from her male counterpart for fear of being considered un-lady like.
A well-bred woman will not demand as a right what she may have a claim to expect from the politeness of the other sex, nor show dissatisfaction and resentment if she fancies herself neglected. (Hartley 291)
The expectations of women in this period included, acting as a comfort, providing protection, and servitude for their husbands. A person with control over another human being or animal constitutes a master. Dickinson depicts a master-object relationship. The master of a dog holds ownership just as the master of the slave has ownership of that person or group. A master acts as the oppressor of a people and the conclusion made shows that man acts as the despot of woman. The gun of Dickinson’s poem has a master who controls the action. This action gives motion and purpose to the poem.
Emily Dickinson, an intelligent woman who knew that her poems would fit better in the future, left behind fascicles filled with her poetry for discovery after her death. (The Manuscripts).This poem in particular gives insight into the treatment of women during her time. It presents the struggles and positions held by women. Because of this poem the evolution of women’s status in literature begins to show between the pre feminist and feminist movements.
Q and A with Cisneros
I was fortunate enough to ask Sandra Cisneros a few questions on her experiences and a women she has endured and what she thinks needs changing in order to better the lives of women of color today.
Q: Have you seen any change in the status of women since you began writing?
A: . Change in status of women? Well, in my lifetime I’ve seen gains and lately the loss of those gains. Specifically the rights of women to control their reproductive rights. Both Church and State, and the pressure as well of family, have ruled. Women’s movement didn’t affect working class women or women of color, or poor women directly, though it did make reproductive healthcare available to them at a cost they could afford, IF, and this is a big IF, if they were willing to defy their family and religion, and if they were informed enough and brave enough to get to a women’s clinic. See my essay on “Guadalupe the Sex Goddess” in my latest book for more on this. I think the pendulum has swung to the right and taken us back to the dark ages as far as women’s rights go, and many other hard fought rights as well.
Q: What do you think it means to be a Chicana?
A: .Chicano/a is a person aware of the history of oppression of mestizo/indigenous people of the americas and who takes up the identity of indigenous/mestizos as an act of resistance.
Q: What is your definition of Feminism?
A: Same as number two, replace “chicano” with “feminist[.]
Q: In your opinion, how do you think proto-feminists helped pave the way for the feminist movement of today?
A: If you don’t know your history, you have to reinvent the wheel[.]
Q: Are there still struggles in the literary world for women that need to be fought?
A: I think we still have a long long way to go for women of color to be published in the world. Especially in the States. We are a long way from saying we made it when you look at what is being read and look at what is being taught.
Cisneros Analysis
Cisneros’ poem, “Loose Woman,” presents a character opposite of the lonely waiting gun presented in Dickinson’s poem. This piece shows a person comfortable with her status as a woman. The narrator in this poem holds headstrong tendencies and does not let others’ insolence bother her because she feels empowered. She believes that women must embrace dominance. The derogatory words directed at women bring no shame upon her. Instead the narrator views them as compliments. In the second stanza words that would never describe females in Dickinson’s time cover the page for the world to read. The narrator claims history without a second thought. The chant “Viva-la-vulva” (Line 8) shows just how much we have become verbal and escaped from the shell of shame which females have forcibly inhabited.
The mob attempting to hush the narrator presents a very real threat felt by women everywhere. Gloria Anzaldúa, a Chicana feminist wrote that, “[women] will develop equal power to you and those who have shamed us” (106). A warning foreshadows that women will become equal to those who look down upon them. The persona in Cisneros’ poem stops the attacks on her allowing for self-defense making the people “wobble like gin” (line 16), fulfilling a part of Anzaldúa’s quote that women will become equal by proving that they hold as much worth as anyone else.