A gynetic analysis of the poems of seven American poets

Abstract

Through the gynetic analysis of the seven poems, the researcher was able to specify the master narrative and through it, brought out the gynetic space for women's new roles. These new roles are either obvious within the poem, invented or imagined by the researcher. Roles of women are represented differently in each of the poems. And the re-birth of women in the poems are evident enough to call for change. Themes in the poems focused on power roles and responsibilities of women. The single most vital topic is that class, race, gender, and sexuality are historically precise and socially erected hierarchies of domination— they are power relationships. It does not merely represent different lifestyle preferences or cultural convictions, standards and practices but also supreme hierarchies in which one assembly wields over to command another, securing its locations of supremacy in structure, and in which significant material and non material resources- such as affluence, profits, or admission to health care and education-are at stake. Thus, race, class, gender and sexuality are primary bases of social clash among groups. From the analysis of the poems, the significant findings were: 1. Women were depicted in the master narratives as dirty and impure, terrible, a caged wife, a domesticated being, someone who does not have the right to thrive in the male's society's hierarchy of employment, frail and weak, and a battered wife. 2. The gynetic space of the woman in each of the poem is as follows: a. establisher of the unconventional norms in society b. awareness of her capacity of power c. decision maker of the home d. ability to be a guardian of tradition e. mold-breaker of tradition f. right to give counsel g. capability to be independent, strong and powerful 3. The re-claimed birth right of the woman in each poem is the following: a. positive celebration of womanhood through menstruation b. the feminine mystique c. equal of the husband d. ability to be a guardian of tradition e. right to knowledge and education f. to have the seat of wisdom e. freedom to choose without the pressures and demands of a man beside her In the light of the findings of the study, the following are the conclusions: 1. The stereotypical roles of women are guided and guarded in history within the patriarchal context. These are evident in the poems that have been studied for gynetic analysis. 2. Women have different positive views for their new roles in each of the poems. They also have different concepts of their new roles according to their culture. 3. The re-claimed birth right of each woman is founded in the context of the self, home, marriage, culture and society. It is recommended by the researcher to apply Gynesis to: 1. The works of Philippine Feminist poets like Marjorie Evasco, Lilia Quindoza Santiago, Ruth Elynia Mabanglo and Rebecca Anonuevo. 2. The works of Filipino male poets like Ricardo de Ungria, Alfred Yuson and Francis Macansantos. 3. The analysis of Philippine fiction novels like Jessica Hagedorn's "Dream Jungle" and Ninotchka Rosca's "State of War." 4. Develop teaching strategies for the thesis, and detailed student centered lesson plans with language focus from feminist context. 5. Develop strategies in integrating Gynetic analysis in poetry subjects through updating lectures on feminist theories.