What are the Differences between Mina Loy's and Djuna Barnes'

Arguments for Female Liberation?



What are the Differences between Mina Loy's and Djuna Barnes'

Arguments for Female Liberation?

Introduction

During twentieth century there were many women who came forward in favor of woman liberation with the new wave of modernism. Among these women Mina Loy and Djuna Barnes were also very well known name. Mina Loy was an artist, poet, novelists and modernist, whose ideas reflect the liberation of women with modern and futuristic views. One of her well known work about the female liberation is “Feminist Manifesto”. As compare to Mina Loy, Djuna Barnes was another important name as a feminist writer, journalist, novelist, and a play writer, who reflected her ideas about feminist approach and modern women. Both these modern feminist writers shared many ideas during their friendship. One of these ideas involved the element of sexuality in their works, associated with the female liberation. Freedom and women liberation become modified and it involved different perceptions and concepts, “Women's Liberation Movement has used or modified…women's liberation ideology is another body of theory which the feminists rejected - the theory of sexual freedom and fulfillment” (Evans, 2013, p.243). The comparison of “Feminist Manifesto” by Mina Loy and one act play of Djuna Barnes's “To the Dogs” reveals these differences in the arguments of these feminist writers during twentieth century. Mina Loy and Djuna Barnes shares the common ideology of female liberation as a feminists, but despite a number of similarities, there are many differences in their arguments to prove the modern and liberal approach of woman against the male dominance.

Thesis Statement

Mina Roy in her Manifesto presented the argument for the women to become courageous and more concerned about their self respect for accepting the male dominance or relationship with them, as compared to the argument in Djuna Barnes's “To the Dogs” in which women were reflected as inferior “Dogs” from men's perception, Major difference between their argument is that Mina want women to change against Djuna's persistent concept of no change in women's inferior position.

Discussion

In Djuna Barnes's short one act play “To the Dogs”, the idea of exchange and woman's defined position under the social and cultural norms are very clear. This play is very focused with only two characters in it, which sufficiently represents Barnes's ideology of “sexual embrace”. This is presented by Barnes's ideology of exchange in which female character Helena always remained in one position without any change, which reflects women's position in the society, “Barnes's To the Dogs reclaim her confiscated body and refuse to be "the uncanny stranger” (DeShazer, 2000, p.583). She only changed her position once, but at the end of play, she again takes her position back, representing a woman who is not interested in any change. Setting of the play also agrees with Mina Loy's ideology of women. The room contains all the luxuries and glass items which reflect the delicacy and fragility, associated with the weaknesses of ...