Man and Animal: The Discourse of Exclusion and Discrimination in a Literary Context

Abstract

The concepts "man" and "animal," basic to the Western discourse of exclusion and discrimination, are examined in the context of literary works by authors who, like Gertrud Kolmar, Elias Canetti, Ilse Aichinger, and younger writers such as Rahel Hutmacher, experienced racial and/or gender-related discrimination. Drawing on recent feminist theory, this article shows that opposition to anthropomorphic attitudes in these authors' works implies a fundamental critique of the dominant paradigm of Western culture, which establishes man's superiority both in terms of species and of gender. Pertinent literary texts are explored from the point of view of contemporary feminist and animal-rights criticism, and parallels between these traditionally separate discourses are brought to light. The article also uncovers opposing cultural norms: Jewish and Christian, feminist and patriarchal, Nazi and humanist, anthropocentric and non-speciest. (DCGL)