The Problem of Women and Madness in Ali Smith’s “The History of History”
Journal Title: Ankara Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi - Year 2016, Vol 7, Issue 1
Abstract
Though only a ten-page-long short story, Ali Smith’s “The History of History” proves much longer with what is between the lines. Through a simple narrative of a teenager(whose gender is unspecified)about his/her parents and her school project, Smith manages to deal with serious matters with regard to women’s position in society in quite a thought-provoking way. Just by portraying the situation, the teenager’sreaction and the short dialogues, she gives the reader many ideas as to the female condition. The aim of this paper is to reveal these ideas by reading between the lines of the story as well as to introduce the out of the ordinary style of this Scottish writer as a different approach to women’s issues. The focus is on the problem of accusing women of madness in cases where they refuse to fulfill the feminine role assigned to them by the patriarchal system. The article explores the feminine role shaped by the male gaze, which consists of being a wife and a mother, and the fact that through the imprisonment of woman in the home and the duties she is assigned this role has turned into an issue of women and madness, with reference to feminist critics and psychology scholars within a historical frame.
Authors and Affiliations
Seda Pekşen
Keywords
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