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영어

This paper aims to examine how Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s writing was a part of the Care of the Self and how she practiced Parrhêsia through her writings. Michel Foucault’s definition of the Care of the Self is to constantly take care of yourself and reflect on yourself to identify who you are and grow into the right entity. He said that writing is one of the most important practices for the Care of the Self. Gilman’s writing exemplifies the Care of the Self, which has helped her to grow and become aware of who she is as a result of continuous introspection and self-discipline practice. Gilman’s writing was not only used for her growth, but also for her Parrhêsia. She claims to promote human rights for women of the time who were oppressed and in unequal positions. Etymologically, Parrhêsia is an act of telling the truth without fear despite being criticized by the public. Gilman’s Parrhêsia is that women should stand up as independent entities through practice of the Care of the Self and that women’s domestic work should be given fair value for their economic independence. In her novel What Diantha Did, she assigns economic value to housework, which was considered only a natural duty for women at the time, and says that in order to improve women’s rights, women need to be awaken to know themselves and able to find their own abilities.