The Feminist Criticism of the Novel “Allati Taodd al-Salalem” based on Elaine Showalter’s Theory

Abstract

Feminist criticism emphasizes the position of women within society. The novel Alati Ta’ud al Salalim (She who counts the staircases) was authored by the Omani author Hoda Hamed. In her novel, she takes a critical approach to women’s position in society critically in her novel, addressingconcepts like social class inequality among women, cultural challenges they face, and masculine dominance. The present study aims to investigate this novel based on four gynocriticism models that Elaine Showalter has proposed: biological, linguistic, psychoanalytic, and cultural. The objective of this study is to provide an answer to the following inquiry: “how does the writer reflect women’s components in her novel?” She has brought up concerns regarding childbirth, female circumcision, and pregnancy, considering the biological model. In terms of the psychoanalytic model, she has made reference to bipolar disorder, obsessions, compulsions, and sleep. Hamed has produced an exemplary and enlightening piece by utilizing noticeable linguistic characteristics, including vocabulary and Arabic dialect, to address women’s concerns and cultural challenges, like women trafficking and physical abuse. According to the findings of the research, she has effectively identified women who are concerned with the social and cultural issues of women. Furthermore, its feministic nature is confirmed by the high frequency with which the components of Showalter’s model appear in the novel under study. The narrative places such an emphasis on the cultural dimension of women that fundamental and profound cultural concerns are overshadowed by biological and psychoanalytic issues.

Keywords

• feminist criticism
• elaine showalter
• hoda hamed
• patriarch
• female identity