Question

What was a key characteristic of the Feminine Phase (1840–1880)?

• A. Women writers openly challenged patriarchy
• B. Women used male pseudonyms to gain recognition
• C. Women wrote only autobiographies
• D. Women refused to publish their works

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Women used male pseudonyms to gain recognition

a key characteristic of the Feminine Phase (1840–1880) was that women used male pseudonyms to gain recognition in a male-dominated literary world.

According to Elaine Showalter's Towards a Feminist Poetics, this phase was marked by:

• Imitation of male literary traditions – Women writers adopted the styles, themes, and conventions of male authors to be accepted.

• Use of male pseudonyms – Many women wrote under male or gender-neutral pen names to avoid discrimination. Examples include:

  • Mary Ann Evans (George Eliot)

  • Charlotte Brontë (Currer Bell)

  • Emily Brontë (Ellis Bell)

  • Louisa May Alcott (A. M. Barnard for her early works)

• A focus on domestic and moral themes – Many works centered on women’s roles in the home, family, and morality, often reinforcing or subtly questioning societal norms.

This phase was an important foundation for later feminist literary movements, as it allowed women to enter the literary field while gradually asserting their voices.