Skip to Main Content

ENGL 3010: Introduction to Literary Studies: Gender Issues

Subject Headings and Keywords

When searching for information on feminist theory in the library catalog, databases, or internet search engines, use these subject headings or keywords:

  • Feminism and Literature
  • Feminism in Literature
  • Feminist Literary Criticism
  • Women and Literature
  • Women in Literature
  • Sex Role in Literature

When searching for information on queer theory in the library catalog, databases, or internet search engines, use these subject headings or keywords:

  • Gays in Literature
  • Gender Identity in Literature
  • Homosexuality and Literature
  • Homosexuality in Literature
  • Queer Theory

Key Individuals/Feminism

Michele Barrett

Helene Cixous

Simone de Beauvoir

Mary Ellman

Judith Fetterley

Julio Kristera

Kate Millet

Judith Fetterley

Elaine Showalter

Virginia Woolf

Key Individuals/Queer Theory

Judith Butler

Helene Cixous

Jonathan Dollimore

Marguerite Duras

Michael Foucault

Claudia Herman

Jonathan Ned Katz

Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick

Feminism Theory Books

In 1929, Virginia Woolf wrote A Room of One's Own, defining a tradition of literature written by women.  Modern feminist criticism began with Mary Ellman's Thinking About Women.  Feminist critics view literature as primarily patriarchal (controlled by males).   Feminine characters are seen as passive and emotional while the male characters are dominating and rational.