The feminine mystique, a landmark book by feminist betty friedan published in 1963 that described the pervasive dissatisfaction among women in mainstream american society in the postworld war ii period. Gerda lerner was at the beginning of her career as a historian when she wrote a letter to betty friedan critiquing the her assumption of universality of experience based on gender. Us history chapter 30 betty friedan the feminine mystique. Her work propelled the stagnant womens rights movement into its second wave and helped women reclaim some equality. Betty friedan has 17 books on goodreads with 79663 ratings. The books overall message that the only acceptable role of housewife and mother does not fulfill women reached over. Today, developing the online book becomes very increasingly. The feminine mystique, published 25 february 1963, is a book written by betty friedan which brought to light the lack of fulfillment in many womens lives, which was generally kept hiddencitation needed.
While many book critics immediately recognized the potential in friedans book when it was released in. The feminine mystique 50th anniversary edition by betty. The 50thanniversary edition of a modern classic, featuring an introduction by gail collins and an afterword by anna quindlen. The feminine mystique betty friedan, parker posey on. The feminine mystique begins with an introduction describing what friedan called the problem that has no name the widespread unhappiness of women in the 1950s and early 1960s. The feminine mystique, a landmark book by feminist betty friedan published in 1963 that described the pervasive dissatisfaction among women in mainstream. A leading figure in the womens movement in the united states, her 1963 book the feminine mystique is often credited with sparking the second. She describes the feminine mystique as the heightened awareness of the expectations of women and how each woman has to fit a certain role as a. A book is one of the important ways to get more knowledge and reference. The feminine mystique by betty friedan was first published in 1963 at the beginning of the second wave of feminism in the united states.
Betty friedan peacefully protested by writing an extremely popular book called, the feminine mystique. The feminine mystique is the false notion that a womans role in society is to be a wife, mother, and housewife nothing else. The feminine mystique by betty friedan is an iconic book that relentlessly changed the way the american woman saw herself, until its first publication in 1963. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 592 pages and is available in paperback format. A leading figure in the womens movement in the united states, her 1963 book the feminine mystique is often credited with sparking the second wave of american feminism in the 20th century. Betty friedan received thousands of letters in response to her book, the feminine mystique.
Friedan herself evoked the image of the mad woman writer in the attic as representative of the conditions under which she wrote the feminine mystique. The book that changed the consciousness of a countryand the world. Betty friedan wrote the feminine mystique to shed light on the plight of the american woman during the 1950s and 60s. The book that changed the consciousness of a country. Essay on the feminine mystique by betty friedan 869. This is the book that defined the problem that has no name, that launched the second wave of the feminist movement, and has been awakening women and men with. The feminine mystique is the title of a book written by betty friedan who also founded the national organization for women now to help us women gain equal rights. She coined the term feminine mystique to describe the societal assumption that women could find fulfillment through housework, marriage, sexual passivity, and child rearing alone. A 50thanniversary edition of the trailblazing book that changed womens lives, with a new introduction by gail collins.
Landmark, groundbreaking, classicthese adjectives barely do justice to the pioneering vision and lasting impact of the feminine mystique. Publication of the feminine mystique by betty friedan. Although there has been recent criticism of betty friedans book the feminine mystique, there is no doubt, even in the minds of her harshest critics, that her book had such a profound impact on. The feminine mystique penguin modern classics betty friedan isbn. Pdf the feminine mystique book by betty friedan free. The feminine mystique by friedan, betty and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The feminine mystique by betty friedan, hardcover barnes. When the feminine mystique, a book written by betty friedan, was first distributed to the public, it awoke a battle that women in the 1960s didnt even know they could fight modern feminism.
Friedans findings provided a cleareyed analysis of the issues that affected womens lives in the decades after the second world war, and became the basis to her book, the feminine mystique. The feminine mystique betty friedan first edition signed. The feminine mystique betty friedan, gail collins, anna quindlen isbn. It is the most famous of betty friedans works, and it made her a household name. Arianna huffington, writing for o, the oprah magazine says, if youve never read it, read it now. In the feminine mystique, betty friedan put a spotlight on the hidden, yet immense problems women faced during the 1950s. This persuasive argument against the cult of the 1950s housewife was an important motor for secondwave feminism, writes hermione hoby. The book highlighted friedans view of a coercive and pervasive postworld war ii ideology of female domesticity that stifled middleclass womens opportunities to be anything but homemakers. The feminine mystique by betty friedan this persuasive argument against the cult of the 1950s housewife was an important motor for secondwave feminism hermione hoby. Victims of a false belief system, these women were following strict social convention by loyally conforming to the pretty image of the magazines, and found themselves forced to seek meaning in their lives only through.
The feminine mystique by friedan, first edition abebooks. Her book, the feminine mystique, published on february 19, 1963, shook the ground beneath an american society rooted in a myth of. This is the book that defined the problem that has no name, that launched the second wave of the feminist movement, and has been awakening women and men with its insights. When betty friedan produced the feminine mystique in 1963, she could not have realized how the discovery and debate of her contemporaries general malaise would shake up society. Find an answer to your question what role did betty friedans book, the feminine mystique, play in the development of secondwave feminism. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The feminine mystique betty friedan snippet view 1971. Published in 1963, it gave a pitchperfect description of the problem that has no name. Feminists of the 1960s and 1970s would later say the feminine mystique was the book that started it all. Betty friedans most popular book is the feminine mystique. Free ebook the feminine mystique by betty friedan puqtsil.
Feministic in a good way, without the morbid extravaganza other reads of that type hold, its relevant even now and if you dont choose to believe so, at least you can appreciate it as a. Betty friedan and the feminine mystique flashcards quizlet. The feminine mystique is a book by betty friedan that is widely credited with sparking the beginning of secondwave feminism in the united states. Friedans controversial book about these women and every woman would. The book that ignited secondwave feminism captured. Books by betty friedan author of the feminine mystique. The publication of betty friedans the feminine mystique, on february 17, 1963, is often cited as the founding moment of secondwave feminism. One of the great online books is the book entitled the feminine mystique by betty friedan. Compare and contrast ideas, themes, and important points from the feminine mystique by betty friedan. If you want to understand the passion that helped fire up the modern womens movement, there may be no better place to start than with the feminine mystique. Landmark, groundbreaking, classicthese adjectives barely describe the earthshaking and longlasting effects of betty friedans the feminine mystique. The mystique is an artificial idea of femininity that says having a career andor fulfilling ones individual potential somehow go against womens preordained role. She argued that an idealized image of domestic womanhood had created an.
Indeed, the feminine mystique grew out of an idea friedan had proposed to mccalls, ladies home journal and redbook, all of which rejected. This is the book that defined the problem that has no name. Arianna huffington, o, the oprah magazine landmark, groundbreaking, classicthese adjectives barely do justice to the pioneering vision and lasting impact of the feminine mystique. February 4, 1921 february 4, 2006 was an american feminist writer and activist. As two literary critics point out, jane eyre focuses on confinement and rage even to madness, with its heroine becoming the emblem of a passionate, barely disguised rebelliousness. The title of betty friedans book the feminine mystique. The feminine mystique by betty friedan is published history.
Start studying betty friedan and the feminine mystique. The feminine mystique, by betty friedan, ushered in a second wave of feminist thought and progress in the united states. Betty friedan wrote a book called the feminine mystique. Still, even friedans critics apart from those who think that the womens movement was a bad idea altogether agree that the feminine mystique was a book that helped to change the world. The feminine mystique 50th anniversary edition betty. The first edition of the novel was published in february 19th 1963, and was written by betty friedan. In 1957, friedan was asked to conduct a survey of her former smith college classmates for their 15th anniversary reunion. A sensation on publication selling over 3 million copies, it established friedan as one of the chief architects of the womens liberation movement. The feminine mystique by betty friedan, published in 1963, is often seen as the beginning of the womens liberation movement. Betty friedans 1963 book, the feminine mystique, a. Start studying us history chapter 30 betty friedan the feminine mystique. Betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique.
The feminine mystique begins with an introduction describing what friedan called the problem that has no namethe widespread unhappiness of women in the 1950s and early. Though friedans book had spawned what came to be known as the secondwave feminist movement. Betty friedans enduring mystique the new york times. Fine in a very good dust jacket with some light fading to the spine. The feminine mystique should be required reading for anyone who cares about women. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the feminine mystique by betty friedan. A great deal has changed since friedans monumental book was published, but readers should not be discouraged from revisiting it. Reading betty friedans feminine mystique for the first time, 50 years after its publication, a critic found that the book still has the power to surprise and unsettle. Betty friedans feminine mystique 50 years later the. Betty friedans 1963 book the feminine mystique a described. Within three years of the books publication, friedan had sold more than 3m copies.
964 439 912 756 150 17 830 574 417 18 513 707 4 144 693 1523 424 539 1672 178 706 1499 412 453 1261 1001 240 966 80 10 1342 917 295 580 521 1480 19