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Exploring Womb Envy in Angela Carter’s Shadow Dance

Sayı: 3 26 Eylül 2024
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Exploring Womb Envy in Angela Carter’s Shadow Dance

Abstract

Angela Carter's first novel, Shadow Dance, published amid the emergence of second-wave feminism in the 1960s, is a literary testament to the changing gender dynamics in that chaotic period. In the text, Carter crafts a tale that exposes the themes of misogyny, patriarchal domination, and gender-based violence. This novel is of particular importance in the context of second wave feminism, which coincided with the widespread availability of the contraceptive pill in the Western world. The pill symbolizes women's new ability to act on their bodies, especially in decisions related to childbirth, which is related to the evolution of their identities. In this exploration of Carter's work, the concept of "womb envy" emerges as a central theme, highlighting the deep anxiety underlying the male psyche. Carter's characters, Morris and Honeybuzzard, are portrayed similar images of these anxieties and desires, expressed in their so-called creative practices. Morris seeks to emulate women's creativity through painting, while Honeybuzzard plays the role of a bad mother who controls and punishes his/her children. When their attempts to imitate women's fertility fail, they often resort to violence against women in the brand new world of contraceptives. Thus, the text serves as a mirror to the changing feminist discourse of the time, emphasizing the interdependence of women's agency, identity, and men's responses to with these changes. By addressing the complex interplay between gender dynamics, this paper provides insight into Shadow Dance in relation to its thematic depth and enduring relevance in the study of gender relations and women's rights.

Keywords

Kaynakça

  1. Bayne, E. (2011). Womb envy: The cause of misogyny and even male achievement? Women's Studies International Forum, 34(2), 151-160.
  2. Carter, A. (1966). Shadow Dance. Heinemann.
  3. Eschbach, C. L. (2008). Toward an understanding of womb envy: Developmental and clinical perspectives. In L. Wurmser & H. Jarass (Eds.), Jealousy and Envy — New Views about Two Powerful Feelings (pp. 49-74). Taylor & Francis.
  4. Jacobson, E. (1950). Development of the wish for a child in boys. The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 5, 139-152.
  5. Kittay, E. F. (1984). Womb envy: An explanatory concept. In J. Trebilcot (Ed.), Mothering: Essays in Feminist Theory (pp. 94-128). Rowman and Allanheld.
  6. Klein, M. (1957). Envy and Gratitude. Tavistock Publications.
  7. Lerner, H. E. (1974). Early origins of envy and devaluation of women: Implications for sex role stereotypes. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 38(6), 538-553.
  8. Ortner, S. B. (1974). Is female to male as nature is to culture? In M. Z. Rosaldo & L. Lamphere (Eds.), Woman, culture and society (pp. 67-87). Stanford University Press.

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

İngilizce

Konular

İngiliz ve İrlanda Dili, Edebiyatı ve Kültürü

Bölüm

Araştırma Makalesi

Erken Görünüm Tarihi

25 Eylül 2024

Yayımlanma Tarihi

26 Eylül 2024

Gönderilme Tarihi

6 Eylül 2024

Kabul Tarihi

25 Eylül 2024

Yayımlandığı Sayı

Yıl 2024 Sayı: 3

Kaynak Göster

APA
Sonat, I. O. (2024). Exploring Womb Envy in Angela Carter’s Shadow Dance. Melius: Journal of Narrative and Language Studies, 3, 17-21. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13838576