Achieved or Deceived: A Postfeminist Critique on Weldon’s The Life and Loves of She-Devil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60072/ijeissah.2024.v2i03.012Abstract
The primary concern of postfeminist literature is the emancipation of modern women from the clutches of patriarchal characters in various literary works. Literary characters adopt multiple strategies to deal with submissive patriarchal practices in literary works. Ruth Patchett, the protagonist of The Life and Loves of a She-Devil by Fay Weldon, decides to transform herself physically and psychologically to avenge her patriarchal husband. This transformation resulted in her success at the end of the novel. The related literature on the novel appreciates Ruth’s transformation from an “ugly duckling” to a she-devil. However, this study explores the negation of Ruth’s self and her subjugation through the patriarchal ideals of femininity. Postfeminist literary theory has been used with the conceptual framework of The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf to draw the desired conclusion.
Keywords:
Femininity, Negation, Postfeminism, She-Devil, SubjugationReferences
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