The Application of Elaine Showalter's Theory of "Women's Writing" in Huda Hamad's Novel Cinderellat Muscat

Feminist criticism, as an analytical approach in literary studies, focuses on the position of women within social structures, seeking to expose gender inequalities and encourage the redefinition of power relations. The novel Cinderellat Muscat by Huda Hamad, an Omani female author, depicts the ideology of patriarchal dominance in the family and society. This research, employing an analytical-descriptive approach, examines Huda Hamad's novel Cinderellat Muscat within the framework of Elaine Showalter's three-phase theory. The aim of this analysis is to demonstrate how the historical path of the evolution of women's consciousness is manifested in this work, starting from the acceptance of traditional roles and reaching the final stage of independent identity formation.

The findings of the study indicate that the novel portrays the trajectory of women's development from the Feminine stage of subordination and constraint, where characters are defined within patriarchal expectations, to the Feminist stage of protest, which is displayed through symbolic rebellion against restrictive structures, and finally to the Female stage of individual identity, where women attain their own specific language and space. By focusing on these three stages, the author critiques systematic inequalities against women and, by highlighting the inner liberation and empowerment of the characters, challenges the dominant ideology of patriarchy. The findings suggest that by depicting this evolutionary path, Hamad engages in a systematic critique of patriarchal institutions; by highlighting female agency, collective solidarity, and the liberating power of narrative, she challenges the dominant discourse and opens up the possibility of constructing a parallel world for the reader.