FEMINISM
Feminism as a literary and social movement emerged in the
later decades of the 20th century. Its chief goal was to liberate
women from the age old shackles of patriarchy. Though it started in the western
parts of the world recently it has pervaded across the world and now is
regarded as one of the most important movements this world has ever seen. It
considers men and women as two social groups just like bourgeois and
proletariat and describes how one group has been privileged through history and
the other has been exploited. So its primary end is to put an end to this kind
of exploitation. It doesn’t plead for any kind of special privileges for women
rather it aims at providing women with the same opportunity that men have been
enjoying from the ancient times.
The antifeminist mind
set of the society dates back to the time when The Bible was composed. In The
Holy Bible it is mentioned that Eve was made from the ribs of Adam and
therefore she is a part of him. From those days women have been considered as subservient
to men and have been branded as the second sect. feminism wanted to subvert
this kind of a mindset and restore the dignity of women both socially and
economically. In the social sphere it pleads for equal rights for men and women
and in the economical sphere it demands equality of status and opportunity and
equal pay for equal work for both men and women. It has succeeded tremendously
in the western part of the world where as the success rate in the third world
has been somewhat discouraging. There are several causes of its failure in the
eastern parts. Some people accuse the conservative mindset of the people and
some hold the illiteracy of the people responsible for the failure. The
submission of women to the patriarchal system and the acceptance of the
dominance as a natural phenomenon is also equally responsible for its failure.
However in the recent years an upsurge in the consciousness
of the people has been noticed which has propelled the movement in eastern
countries like India. Now a days women are seen fighting and revolting for
their rights and men have also joined hands with them, which is a very good omen.
If the movement goes on getting prominence in this speed such a day is not very
far when there will be no distinction be it social or political or economical
between men and women. Only the cooperation of all the people to make this
movement a success is what we need.
