Vi T. K. Tran, Mai T. Hoang
In this article, we examine works with feminist nuances by three Vietnamese female writers—namely the novel Blind Paradises (Những thiên đường mù) by Dương Thu Hương, the short story Sleep Shadows (Bóng đè) by Đỗ Hoàng Diệu, and the short story Suggestion (Ám thị) by Phạm Thị Hoài—in comparison with the novel The Earth Dance (Tarian Bumi) by Indonesian writer Oka Rusmini. While expressing their critical perspectives, these writers explore gender-specific issues such as gender equality, the reevaluation of traditional moral values, the phenomenon of pseudo-feminism, and the use of vivid parody. This paper focuses on three main issues: the reevaluation of traditional beliefs about ethics, the phenomenon of pseudo-feminism, and the distinctive use of parody. Comparing the literary works of female writers from Vietnam and Indonesia opens up new perspectives on feminist expression among Southeast Asian female authors in particular, and contemporary women writers in general. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.
State University of Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia; Institute of Literature, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Hanoi, Viet Nam
