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Judith Today? A Feminist Criticism.
Biblical Heritage: The Culture of Judith

"Find a text in which a female character rebels against patriarchy. What happens to her? Does she become independent and empowered? How is the reader encouraged to feel about her? What is her value system?" (Houston, 231)

~ "Julia Kristeva notes that there are three ways that feminists have responded to their subordinated position in society: (1) Liberal feminism, which demands equality for women, (2) Radical feminism, which argues that women are different from and better than men, and (3) Postmodern feminism, which rejects the categories of 'men' and 'women.'" (Houston, 225)

Using Feminist Criticism to Contrast The Real and the Fictionalized Artemisia:

     "Sex combined with manipulation means power is the misconceived typical strategy of a woman. From movies such as "The Last Seduction" to "Poison Ivy", women are portrayed as beguiling bitches. The only level of creativity that they seem capable of is the craft of manipulation."
     "Her biography illustrates her independence from her male associates. After her rape trial, Artemisia divorces herself from her father and her husband, whereby she develops her skills and her reputation to enable her entry into the royal court. The men who had violated her were ousted from her life."
     "The series of "Judith and her maidservant" are demonstrative of her abilities to achieve independence from her male peers. They became her alter egos giving her the voice she needed. These paintings speak of a rebelliousness and rage toward the authoritarian patriarchal society. Perhaps it is her attempt to channel the violent emotions experienced during her rape trial. If not that, than the murder of Holofernes is a metaphor for killing male oppression. It defies male domination clearly and honestly without sexual manipulation."