In the following paper I am going to present Christine Battersby’s text Gender and Genius, her methodes and goals, occuring critics and problems. The main problem is the question: Do we need the concept of a female genius? After Battersby’s historical research about the concept of the male genius in history (especially in the history of art and literature) she points out, that she wants to invent a new concept of genius. After her demonstration that genius had definitly a clear male connotation, she doest’t want to skip the notion genius but she wants to redefine it. She wants to invent the concept of a female genius.
In paragraphe 2 I am going to point out some results of Battersby’s work, that show why women were excluded for such a long time from any form of art production. In paragraphe 3 I try to explain with Battersby how and why women accepted this exclusion sometimes and how they tried to resist and to fight back this kind of misogyny. Paragraphe 4 should answer the question why Battersby’s new concept of genius is called a female genius, while paragraphe 5 wants to bring in some arguments against the separation and categorization into female/feminine and male/masculine concept. The last paragraphe contains also a very short conclusion and my own point of view.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Forms of suppression
- Back to the roots
- Forward a female past
- Personal conclusion
- References
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines Christine Battersby's work "Gender and Genius," exploring her methodology, goals, and the challenges faced by women in the field of art production. The central question is whether the concept of a female genius is necessary.
- The historical suppression of women in artistic creation
- The influence of societal views and misogyny on artistic perceptions
- The development of a new concept of genius from a female perspective
- The challenges of separating and categorizing genius along gender lines
- The historical and contemporary relevance of Battersby's arguments
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: Introduces the topic of Christine Battersby's "Gender and Genius" and the central question of the need for a female genius concept.
- Forms of Suppression: Explores the various ways women were suppressed in artistic creation throughout history, including practical prohibitions, societal prejudice, and the denial of female agency. The chapter uses historical examples from the Renaissance and Romantic eras to demonstrate how women's talents were undervalued and misrepresented.
- Back to the roots: Delves into the historical roots of misogyny in art and literature, highlighting the problematic notions that contributed to the exclusion of women. This chapter examines the societal and artistic factors that contributed to the marginalization of female artists.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The primary keywords and focus topics of this work include female genius, historical misogyny, artistic suppression, gender and art, societal perceptions, female agency, and redefining genius.
- Quote paper
- Mag. Mag. Mag. Renate Enderlin (Author), 2010, The Concept of a Female Genius, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/162513
