“Violations as Profound as any Rape”: Feminism and Sexed Violence in Stephen R. Donaldson

What is it about?

The fiction of Stephen R. Donaldson frequently employs rape (i.e., sexed violence) as a theme, but in the last few decades literary representations of sexed violence have become increasingly scrutinized. What I attempt in this article is a critical intervention on Donaldson’s behalf. In the first place, I situate Donaldson in relation to second-wave radical feminism, particularly insofar as he often positions rape as a matter of power. The rise of postmodern feminist critiques, however, especially in the 1990s, then began to challenge the individualist assumptions behind Donaldson’s two major epics, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever and his Gap sequence. Ultimately, I find that his core existential humanism nonetheless produces valuable insight into the men who commit acts of sexed violence.

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Why is it important?

Donaldson is a major modern author of epic fantasy whose reputation for feminism has suffered a steep decline due to a changing critical landscape, and many readers today can feel disquieted over his frequent literary representations of sexed violence. This article, however, explains the ongoing usefulness of Donaldson's feminist vision.

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