Debunking Heterosexuality: A Radical Critique of Marriage in Adrienne Riches Poetry

Tariq Ahmad Shah; Dr. Jaleel Ahsan Zargar; Dr. Peer Salim Jahangeer

doi:10.53724/jmsg/v11n3.05

Authors

Tariq Ahmad Shah Associate Professor, English Department, Shaheed Himayun Muzzamil Memorial GDC Anantnag J & K, University of Kashmir, India. https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2836-6285
Dr. Jaleel Ahsan Zargar Philosophy, Government college for women M A Road Srinager, Cluster University Srinagar, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India. https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0050-5845
Dr. Peer Salim Jahangeer Contractual Lecturer, Department of English, GDC Dooru Ang J&K,Kashmir University, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India. https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4533-2626

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53724/jmsg/v11n3.05

Keywords:

Heterosexuality, Debunk, Premise, Sexuality, Radical Philosophy, Assy metrical

Abstract

The Struggle for woman's emancipation had a long history. Despite fighting for an egalitarian society, since antiquity, women failed to discern the main cause of their exploitation at the hands of their male counterparts. However, towards the second half of Twentieth Century female writers under the influence of feminist theorising investigated the very oppressive nature of male- female relationships and found a close nexus between their sexual lives and socio-political institutions. After a critical analysis of patriarchal ideology, 2nd wave feminists argued that oppression of women has strong foundations in socio-cultural processes rather than in female biology.
Taking this clue Adrienne Rich took a daring journey through the institution of marriage to evaluate and reorient its basic premise. As an activist, academician, writer and theoretician Rich formulated a theoretical concept to critique heterosexuality. Therefore, the paper makes an attempt to understand the basic premise of the institution of marriage. An attempt is also made to demonstrate Rich's radical critique of heterosexuality as the corner stone of patriarchy. For this the paper foregrounds it's theoretical background in feminist theorizing, besides applying Rich's own critical concepts.

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