Question

Which of the following is NOT one of Showalter’s three phases of women’s literary history?

• A. The Feminine Phase
• B. The Feminist Phase
• C. The Female Phase
• D. The Matriarchal Phase

Answer 1

Answer:

D. The Matriarchal Phase

according to Elaine Showalter's Towards a Feminist Poetics, the Female Phase (1920s–present) emphasizes self-expression and identity in women's literary history.

Showalter divides women's literary history into three phases:

1. The Feminine Phase (c. 1840–1880) – Women writers imitated male literary traditions and often wrote under male pseudonyms to gain acceptance.

2. The Feminist Phase (c. 1880–1920) – Women actively protested male dominance in literature and society, advocating for rights and equality.

3. The Female Phase (1920s–present) – Women moved beyond imitation and protest to explore self-discovery, female identity, and autonomy in writing, developing their own literary styles and themes.