Tuesday, November 1, 2011

a bit of lit: 'high' and 'low' culture

From Diane Long Hoeveler's "Frankenstein, feminism, and literary theory": "...feminism has long posited that 'high' culture is a system that favors males and that acts to ensure the continued power and status of the patriarchy. By examining what has traditionally been considered 'low' cultural artifacts, feminists have opened up and made available many works written by women and neglected by the literary establishment."

I would also argue that literary feminism includes opening up the canon and the conversation to include more than the men who've reigned and the women mentioned above,to also include every other voice possible. Perhaps this is just my naive idealism shining brightly? I think that's okay, though.

2 comments:

Kat said...

That is funny because I think the subject of most male literature is sex, their own bodies, and angst about their place in the world.

v said...

That seems pretty accurate (as I'm thinking over every bit of literature I can think of). I do have to say, though, a lot of what I write about/think about also involves sex, my own body and thoughts (maybe not always angst, but sometimes yes) about my place in the world. (I am not placing my own writing on the level of canonical literature, by the way, because that could so read that way.)