THE SUBVERSIVE FEMALE INDENTITY IN STEVIE SMITH’S POETRY

This study focuses on analyzing the radical female voices in Stevie Smith?s (1902-1971) poetry which is distinguished by its humorous, and at same time, extremely tragic approach to the enslavement of women within marriage that is an ideologically laden institution where the patriarchal domination of women is guaranteed through stereotypically constructed gender roles. In this regard, Stevie Smith does not simply criticize the hegemony of men in patriarchal societies, but also thoroughly interrogates the intangible roles of women in strengthening and maintaining the perpetuation of the patriarchal ideology which ensures that the subordinated position of women should be normalized within families and transmitted by mothers to their daughters. Thus, women who are the major galvanizers of the patriarchal ideology cannot circumvent Smith?s harsh denunciation while resistant female characters, who tenaciously overturn the hegemonic power of the patriarchy, are given the loudest voice to express themselves. Keywords: Stevie Smith, Modern English Poetry, Patriachy, Subversive Female Identity