Womens Role of Materiality: A Revaluation of the Subversive Power of Feminine Subjectivity in Hlne Cixous L'criture Feminine and Cindy Shermans Untitled Film Stills

Abstract

Although Cindy Shermans Untitled Film Stills is not a practice of Hlne Cixouss criture feminine, both of the two are gravitated toward one shared phenomenon: the representation of womens role of materiality by the feminine subject. The common consensus has held that womens active subject positioning in the system of representation makes their body expression revolt against the othered, mute female body represented in the phallogocentric discourse. This paperbased on the inductive method of investigating criture feminine and Shermans feminine iconographyquestions the subversive power of the speaking female body. The conclusion is reached that the body expression, devoid of subversive power in both cases, would merely re-crystallize the myth of female inadequacy that fits into the patriarchal misconception. It is of great import that females stay vigilant against the role of materiality assumed by the feminine subject, which functions to disempower and misinform; it is indefatigability in pursuit of aspirations and the concrete agency in striving for victory over the intellectual discourse that empowers the female subject.