"Exit, Man": Combatting Layered Oppression Through Radical Feminism

Abstract

This paper contends that Aditi Brennan Kapil’s Imogen Says Nothing depicts the power of radical feminism, a branch of feminism that advocates for the de-centering of the male perspective. By comparing how other social identifiers influence gender dynamics in Much Ado About Nothing and Imogen Says Nothing, this analysis demonstrates that a man’s interest in a woman is contingent on her conformity to racialized ideals of womanhood that uphold male societal authority. Furthermore, the texts exemplify the stress this causes women, especially female minorities, as these harmful standards force them to either relinquish their power or face erasure. Ultimately, this paper argues that Imogen Says Nothing’s ending defies Much Ado About Nothing’s marriage plot by asserting the necessity of women creating spaces for themselves that do not include men and, therefore, that Imogen Says Nothing’s conclusion promotes radical feminism.