Masculine Signifying Economy in The Gaze

Abstract

Masculine signifying economy is a term given by Luce Irigaray which means that masculinity is considered superior than femininity. It is the notion of such an economy wherein male traits are given preference over female traits. Boys are for example right from their childhood taught to hide their emotions. It is considered very girlish to cry. In her work The Gaze (1999) Elif Shafak examines the roles assigned by the society to men and women within Turkish culture. The plot showcases not only the roles but also how a man and a woman is supposed to adhere to the physical attributes designed by the society. A man has to be strong, muscular and tall while a woman has to be very feminine, beautiful and thin. In The Gaze by Elif Shafak, the narrator who is a fat woman serves as a lens through which Shafak explores the pervasive dissatisfaction experienced by women worldwide, despite their adherence to societal expectations. The author emphasizes the necessity of reevaluating gender roles in accordance with personal well-being and principles of egalitarianism