Feminism In 'The Life And Loves Of A She-Devil'

984 Words4 Pages
It appears that Fay Weldon as one of the second-wave feminist writers, as a critic, tries to criticize the patriarchy system and at the same time, she points out some disadvantages of excessive feminism by introducing another face of feminists in the form of monster. She does that in her novel "The Life and Loves of a She-Devil " (1983) by attributing some liberation properties for her character "Ruth" incorporate with the wish of revenge. She gives a warning against both excessive liberation and excessive patriarchy. This appears through the change in "Ruth" character from surrendered and submissive wife to a liberated destructive monster. Feminism Cons in "The Life and Loves of a She-Devil (1983)" At the beginning of the novel," The Life…show more content…
She changes her name several times, to Vesta Rose, Polly Patch, Molly Wishant and Millie Mason. She continues in changing her body also to another shape. Her new character appears as a destructive monster that has destroyed her family that contains her children and her husband Bobbo, then Mary´s life in addition to disturbing some others. This radical change creates new deviant monstrous woman ready to cause harm for anyone but to leave the past and revenge. First action she blows up the house, after that she brings the children to Mary Fisher and her husband and abandons them, she also starts having affairs. Next, she works where Mary Fisher's mother stays and persuades her to return to her daughter and live with her. She goes to Bobbo's office at night changes the accounts of the clients. Bobbo has to go to prison for seven years while she gets about 2.5 million dollars. It seems that Ruth breaks the norms of society in her change and deeds and becomes one of the monstrous women who are deviant as they are gendered masculine in some aspects and refuse to be gendered as feminine. Her action similar to the argument of Edwin Schur when he says that there are similarities between gender and deviance and “as a category does not exist in isolation, but is rather given meaning within a particular context. In other words, deviance, like gender, is
Show More
Related

  • Virginia Woolf Analysis

    1478 Words  | 6 Pages

    contrasted. “Modern Fiction” and “A Room for One’s Own” are regarded as modernists texts and share feminist themes but differ in terms of focus. Despite feminism already being present in English literature at the time these works were published, Woolf displays her modernist qualities by discussing feminism in an original manner. Her approach to feminism in these two works are critical in regards to the treatment of women writers. In “Modern Fiction”, Woolf shares her thoughts on writers from older generations

    Read More

  • Friedrich Nietzsche: Wom God's Second Mistake?

    10705 Words  | 43 Pages

    Woman: God’s second mistake? Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher, who regarded ‘thirst for power’ as the sole driving force of all human actions, has many a one-liners to his credit. ‘Woman was God’s second mistake’, he declared. Unmindful of the reactionary scathing criticism and shrill abuses he invited for himself, especially from the ever-irritable feminist brigade. The fact and belief that God never ever commits a mistake, brings Nietzsche’s proclamation dashingly down into the dust bin

    Read More

More about Feminism In 'The Life And Loves Of A She-Devil'

Open Document