" For there is a branch of feminism which suggests women should embrace male characteristics in the workplace (whether that be dressing in suits or trying to achieve type a success-driven personalities or following male conventions in business and art and relationships) and which denigrates personal experience of things such as childbirth, mothering, menstruation, and the natural (for some women) instincts for flexibility or strong interpersonal relationships in business. In their commitment to subtle rebellion and their frequent embrace of their oppressors and the beliefs of the dominant culture, Bradstreet and Wheatley model the kind of feminism which tries to operate inside the system. Unfortunately, in their case as in many modern cases, this is not entirely successful. "The literary sphere becomes an acceptable way to include groups... while at the same time excluding them from other political and social institutions." (Schlotterbeck) it is unfortunate to note that Wheatley died as a single mother (abandoned by her husband)...
"In Honour of that High and Mighty Princess, Queen ELIZABETH" Archived at http://eir.library.utoronto.ca/rpo/display/poem214.html
Women Poets Throughout American history, the work of American literary artists has helped shape how people think about America and its values. In the modern moment, American literary artists and those involved in other media tend to represent ideals of freedom, autonomy, and individuality. However, this is a perception which has only developed through centuries of artists trying to speak with a unique American voice. Artists who have been oppressed are
However, because it was so uncommon, it was a big deal. Wheatley was accused of "acting white'" (Gates), according to Gates, and this accusation was along the same vein as "getting straight A's, or even visiting the Smithsonian" (Gates), Gates reports. The irony is palpable and Gates puts it succinctly when he says, "we have moved from a situation where Phillis Wheatley's acts of literacy could be used to
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