Comparative Analysis of the Cultural Approach in Women's Writing in Body Memory and Pruning Based on Elaine Showalter's Theory

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Madani University of Azarbaijan, Tabriz, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Madani University of Azarbaijan, Tabriz, Iran.

3 Professor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran.

10.22126/jccl.2023.8913.2482

Abstract

Today, feministic images are counted as appropriate tools for recognizing the feministic nature of a work, its author, and the extent to which it has feminist-based mechanisms. In the meantime, the theory of four approaches of "Elinschwalter" comprising; the biological, cultural, psychoanalytical, and linguistic approaches, provides this opportunity to criticize the tradition of women's writing by relying on which, the position of women in the literary works of female writers can be determined. Having that in mind, the current rrsearch, using a descriptive-analytical method, has tried to select the two novels of Body Memory by Ahlam Mesghanami and Hars by Nasim Marashi so as to criticize women's writing and analyze it on the basis of Elaine Showalter’s cultural approach. Consequently, the image gets a better understanding of the women’s situation and their ideas and ideals. According to the results of the research and considering that the novels under discussion belong to the stage of feminism, the signs of the cultural approach about women's writing are visible in both works under investication. Finally, according to the component of examples in patriarchal rule, the rule of traditional taboos and female habits and beliefs in both works has been more reflected. 
Introduction:
Nowadays, feministic ideas and patterns are a suitable tool for recognizing the nature of feminism in a work and getting to know its author, as well as the extent to which she carries feministic mechanisms. In the meantime, the theory of the four approaches of "Elaine Showalter", a prominent American critic and theoretician of the 20th century, includes the biological, cultural, psychoanalytic, and linguistic approaches to provide this opportunity to criticize the tradition of women's writing, and this way, the position of women can be recognised in the literary works of female and male writers.
Method:
This article employs the descriptive-analytical method based on the American school of comparative literature and examines the similarities and differences of two female writers having the characteristics of female writing and the degree of belonging to the traditions of female writing in the cultural component of the components of Elaine Showalter's theory.
Results and Discussion:
In the cultural approach, social issues and the way women are portrayed by the society have been discussed in the literary work. Women, in every society, belong to a culture and it is natural that the cultural dimension of women and everything related to women's cultural issues can be of impotance for women writers and activists in this field. In fact, in the current research, the role of society in organizing the efforts of women is discussed. These issues are reflected in different elements and sections of the work, and women draw the image of their society in different ways. How the female writer has reflected the major or minor issues and, especially, the rudimentary issues that affect their life and speech are examined blow three important components from the cultural dimension related to women's society in the discussed novels.
Conclusion:
With respect to Elaine Showalter's theory, it can be announced that that the novel “Memory in the Flesh” belongs to the tradition of feminism. From this point of view, even though Marashi's novel is a more updated work, the author herself are still in the feminine tradition. Regarding the reflection of female habits and beliefs, both works have a large amount of female beliefs and characteristics. Regarding the reflection of the rule of patriarchy and the rule of traditional taboos, this component is far more clear and hegemonic in Body Memory and Pruning. Regarding the reflection of the rule of patriarchy and the rule of traditional paintings in Body Memory by Ahlam and Pruning by Marashi have more clarity and hegemony. Furthermore, in terms of the amount of use, some elements of two components, such as polygamy, dependence of a woman on a man, Not having the right to marry a woman and forced marriage in the novel of Ahlam, and other elements such as men's and women's domineering, preference of male child over the female one, and violent behavior and domination of male over female have more frequency in Marashi's novel.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Article Title [العربیة]

دراسة مقارنة للنهج الثقافی للکتابة النسویّة فی الروایتین ذاکرة الجسد و هرس بناءً على نظریة إیلین شوالتر

Abstract [العربیة]

الیوم تعتبر النظریات فی حقل النسویة أداة مناسبة لإثبات الادعاء النسوی للعمل الأدبی و کذلک نسویة المؤلف ومدى امتلاک الأعمال الأدبیة للآلیات النسویة والأنوثة. فی غضون ذلک، توفر نظریة المناهج الأربعة لـ "إیلین شوالتر"، ناقدة أمریکیة بارزة فی القرن العشرین لنقد الأعمال الأدبیة للنساء بصورة فنیة رائعة. تشتمل هذه المناهج علی المنهج البیولوجی والثقافی والنفسی واللغوی. خلال الاعتماد على هذه النظریة، یمکن للباحث أن یتعرف على مکانة المرأة ومعاییر الأنوثة فی الأعمال الأدبیة. لذلک تحاول هذه المقالة بالمنهج الوصفی التحلیلی مقارنة روایة لأحلام مستغانمی کاتبة جزائریة بعنوان ذاکرة الجسد وروایة لنسیم مرعشی کاتبة إیرانیة بعنوان هرس علی أساس نقد الکتابة النسویة وتقوم بتحلیلها وفق معاییر کتابات النساء لإیلین شوالتر بغیة الوصول على صورة أوضح عن وضع المرأة والظلم الذی تعرضت لها، وأفکارها ومثلها. وفقًا لنتائج البحث، ونظراً علی انتماء هذین العملین إلى المرحلة النسویة، نجد ظهور معاییر نسویة فیهما. فی المنهج الثقافی، ذکرت المؤلفتان وأشارتا إلی المواقف النسائیة وقضیة التمییز الموجود ضد المرأة. تنعکس مکونات الحکم الأبوی وقاعدة المحرمات التقلیدیة وعادات ومعتقدات الإناث بشکل أکبر فی کلتا الروایتین.

Keywords [العربیة]

  • المنهج الثقافی
  • الکتابة النسویة
  • إیلین شوالتر
  • احلام مستغانمی
  • نسیم مرعشی

References

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