Patriarchy And The Challenge Of Feminism Essay - 894 Words

Judith Bennett is a Medievalist Historian who has focused much of her research on English/European women and feminist history (1-2). In her book History Matters: Patriarchy and the Challenge of Feminism, she argues that feminism and history, specifically women’s, need to be more closely linked. This link, she argues, comes from taking theories and methods from one field and applying them to the other in order to create a more indepth analysis of both. Bennett states in her introduction that this text â€Å"...builds steadily from problem to solution to elaboration,† and though this statement holds, due to the brevity of this book, many aspects of this text are not well defined, explored, or analyzed (4-5). Throughout this text, Bennett uses feminist language, and indeed the word ‘feminism’ without properly defining the term. It is true that this book is aimed at an audience that is likely to known these terms. Yet, by not giving a definition Bennett opens the floor for radically different interpretations based upon where the reader’s definition falls on the spectrum, from hating men and wanting female superiority to wanting equality and justice for all regardless of sex, that defines the various ‘schools’ of feminism. Despite this lack of clarity, many of the arguments that Bennett makes are still valid. Specifically, Bennett notes that the language of feminist and women’s history has changed from the biting and often uncomfortable rhetoric of 1970s feminism to more neutralShow MoreRelatedThe Roots Of Feminism : The Fight For Equality1304 Words   |  6 PagesFeminism at its roots was a challenge to patriarchal standards and the exclusion of wom en from the workplace. Women since the early 1850s have been fighting for equality whether it be for respect or representation in politics, women wanted the same rights as men. 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