The «female face» of literature

Abstract

The article provides an overview, determines the degree of elaboration, outlines the main directions of gender studies in the literature. The author focuses on the female character as a subject of analysis, ways of its ex- pression. The work reveals the historical prerequisites that caused certain difficulties in creating of female images, disclosuring their inner world. The article summarizes the reasons for the underdevelopment of female images in the literary tradition, the lack of linguistic means to depict her emotional state, cognitive processes. John Fowles' novel «The French Lieutenant's Woman» was chosen as an example of the use of gender analysis of a work of art. When considering the text, special attention is paid to the ways of depicting the main character. The significance of this kind of analysis is determined by the fact that it is relevant and applicable not only for literary analysis and literary criticism, but also for research in sociology, psychology, as well as in the field of interdisciplinary research