Their Eyes Were Watching God Feminist Criticism

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston was published in the early 20th century. Contributing a storyline of feminism, sexism, and domestic violence through the life of a black woman, the novel presented a story unknown of during this time period. In the literature review written by Paris Tasharofi, Domestic Violence in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God: A Feminist Reading, these points are discussed through summarization and analyzation of the main character’s life. Tasharofi takes into account each of the Janie’s three marriages and briefly describes how aspects of domestic violence appear within each unfortunate relationship. Considering these factors, he further discusses how the struggle to overcome these situations shaped the theme of feminism in the novel. Moreover, Tasharofi states "as Bressler states, one of the most significant developments in literary studies in the second half of the twentieth century, feminist criticism advocates equal rights for all

However, during this period, women taking control of their life, having equal rights, and overcoming the domination of the male gender was unheard of, especially for black women. Therefore, when the novel was published, otherwise alluding that these actions were possible and encouraged for black women, criticism against the book by its society rose quickly. The novel was then republished 1978, the second half of the twentieth century that Tasharofi speaks of previously. .During this time, feminism and equality for women of all races were prominent movements. Hurston’s work resurfaced with the help of similar writers, such as Alice Walker who also wrote using a black heroine and their battle against domestic violence toward self-empowerment as a central focus. It’s resurface and the surface of similar literary works contributed greatly to the shaping and shift of societal constraints set against