Question

According to Showalter, how has women’s literature evolved over time?

• A. It has remained unchanged
• B. It has moved from imitation to protest to self-expression
• C. It has always been independent of male traditions
• D. It has focused only on political issues

Answer 1

Answer:

B. It has moved from imitation to protest to self-expression

According to Elaine Showalter, women's literature has evolved through three distinct phases, moving from imitation to protest to self-expression:

1. The Feminine Phase (1840–1880) – Imitation

   • Women writers imitated male literary traditions to gain acceptance.

   • Many used male pseudonyms (e.g., George Eliot, the Brontë sisters).

   • Themes often revolved around domestic life and morality.

2. The Feminist Phase (1880–1920) – Protest

   • Women actively protested gender inequality and male dominance in literature.

   • Works focused on social and political issues like women’s suffrage, education, and independence.

   • Writers like Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin challenged patriarchal norms.

3. The Female Phase (1920–present) – Self-Expression

   • Women moved beyond imitation and protest to explore their own voices and identities.

   • This phase focuses on female autonomy, self-discovery, and unique literary traditions.

   • Writers like Virginia Woolf and Toni Morrison emphasized female experiences and perspectives.

Showalter’s model highlights how women’s literature evolved from adapting to male norms, to challenging them, and finally to creating a distinct, self-defined literary tradition.