Misogyny And Sexism In Ekaterini Georgoudaki's Rita Dove

In the past few centuries, feminists have taken it upon themselves to combat the misogyny and sexism women face by speaking up through any form, including poetry. They have touched on subjects such as women embracing their sexuality, the acknowledgement of the intersectionality of cultural identities, and the objectification and commodification of women. Poetry can be used to make political statements, so it should not be surprising that women would use the art form to voice their opposition to gender inequality. Rita Dove is a self-proclaimed feminist poet that writes about the misogyny and/or misogynoir women experience. In Ekaterini Georgoudaki 's Rita Dove: Crossing Boundaries, Georgoudaki describes Rita Dove perfectly by writing: "She …show more content…
The poem inspires and encourages women to embrace their femininity and be self-reliant by using a confident, female speaker that acts as a positive model for women. The title alone, "Fox", suggests she is also "foxy," a term used to describe sexy and confident women, something most women aspire to be. The poem opens with the speaker stating: “She knew what/ she was and so/ was capable/ of anything/ anyone/ could imagine” (Lines 1-6). These few lines are empowering to women as the speaker exudes confidence and expresses an aspect of who she is: "capable of anything". This is something that society says otherwise as women are expected to be incapable of doing anything on their own and dependent on men. The speaker has an understanding of herself and her femininity and considers that she is a complete person on her own as seen when she says, "She loved/ nothing more/ than what she had,/ which/ was enough/ for her,/ which was more/ than any man/ could handle" (Lines 13-20). These lines intend to resonate the most with women as it tells them that they do not need men to handle their problems and that they have the capacity to be independent. For years, women have been conditioned to be reluctant to own their bodies and be the meek, subservient woman that society expects of women. Feminists, however, have taught women to embrace their sexuality and womanhood, and that is exactly what this poem …show more content…
In this case, poetry can be used to further the feminist movement by expressing their discontent with current power structures and relaying their experiences as a woman in society. Dove 's "Fox" serves as a reaffirmation for women that they should have no shame in being self-reliant and confident in their sexuality while "Adolescence-II" is meant to address the issue of sexual assault against women and the sexualization of girls to the readers. By speaking about gender issues, Rita Dove exposes them to the general public so they can hopefully be recognized and