A not long time ago the staid morals of the world were shaken by a new notion, feminism. However, this phenomenon can hardly be regarded as a new one. It is more likely that the core principles of this movement have been developing and accumulating throughout a long time, dearly cultivating by the adherents. Feminism, highly disputable, complicated and controversial topic, gave birth to such acclaimed and renowned writers as Susan Bordo and Simone de Beauvoir. These women have gained the fame of femininity researchers who don’t restrain their views on various issues concerning women’s rights, nature, and body.
In this paper I am going to analyze two fundamental works of these writers Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body by S. Bordo and The Second Sex by S. de Beauvoir, highlight the core ideas of these writings and provide the questions that naturally may arise in the course of studying these books. I’ll also try to present the answers to the most significant questions.
Let’s start with a highly influential book of S. Bordo Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western culture, and the Body. The author penetrates deeply into the key issues of feminine studies giving her ideas about the feminine body in terms of cultural, social, and, in a way, political approach to it (Bordo 1993). According to Bordo, “body is a metaphor for culture” (Bordo 1993). Moreover, it directly controls peoples’ social life “undermining person’s commitments and strivings” (Bordo 1993).
As far as female body is concerned, it has always been a means of social control. Applying this assumption to the modern visual-oriented society that has made a flawless body the major obsession of the whole world only proves this theory right. On the other hand, a female body has always suffered from different disorders, such as agoraphobia, hysteria, anorexia nervosa, bulimia and the like. Bordo tackles these ailments from the point of view of political and social influence of the period they were most prominent at.
Thus, it is assumed that nowadays, society fosters the policy of “other-oriented emotional economy” for women, which entails drastic consequences, such as anorexia. Alongside this, male body acquires the features of fragility. What makes the role of today’s women more difficult is that they have to step on male territory and play their rules becoming self-restrained, sometimes cool-hearted, suppressing emotions. Their body takes on a slender, more male-like look in this respect. Thus, diets, exercises, striving to perfect body have become the major keys of femininity and sometimes it is viewed as a denial of feminine nature and the desire to enter a male world. In other words, these disorders indicate a woman’s resistance to the femininity norms.
In this connection, the questions arise: Can the negative influence over femininity continue further? Will woman’s look changed to the more man-like look? Will women cross the gender line and enter a male world? The book gives full insight into these problems.
“Social Life” in The Second Sex by S. de Beauvoir focuses on the social aspects of the approach to feminine body and nature. The author states that society demands girls to treat their bodies as erotic objects. Fashion industry dictates women to “identify themselves with their appearance” (De Beauvoir 1997). Since the childhood girls are taught to dress up and over time are torn between their simultaneous desire to hide and display their bodies. Is that natural for a girl to strive to dress like a princess or is it imposed? Refusing to look like a diva is seen as breaking the norms of society and violating one’s feminine commitments. However, it is emphasized that in any situation the clothes a woman chooses to wear by all means indicate her sexuality, be it evening gown or a suit.
How does desire to be fashionable effect the women? In this respect, another aspect of a woman’s motivation for dressing up is provided. It is the need to be admired by men and the desire to evoke jealousy in other women. On the other hand, if women establish a friendship they see it as a possibility to share some common experience and support of their fragile nature. In other words, it is the collective nature of feminine friendship that helps women to resist and oppose the male world that has some allure for women but is also corrupted.
Besides, treating the issue of marriages, the author provides different examples of wives who either had the pleasure of serving their husbands or became disappointed and sought comfort in the lover’s arms.
All things considered, it must be pointed out that the two writings discussed above have made a significant contribution to the study of femininity and feminism and now present a basis for further development.
Works cited
Bordo, Susan. Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western culture and the Body. University of California Press, Berkeley, 1993.
De Beauvoir, Simone. The Second Sex. Vintage Books, London, 1997.