Bellow: Does this man hate women?

Hello. I am relatively new to LT, but I'm a longtime fan of Saul Bellow's work and I'd like to hear from other Bellow fans on the subject of the portrayal of women in Bellow's work. What follows is a quote from Vivian Gornick that makes the case (albeit during the 70s) for feminist literary criticism of Bellow's work. Is it a fair assessment?

To begin with, the women are uniformly referred to as c--ts, broads, chicks, and bimbos. Then they are all either beautiful or "gorgeous." Then they are all either thin, cold, intelligent, and castrating (these are always the wife) or they are dark, sensual, and mindless (these are the mistress).

The natural state of the infantile psyche is one of self-absorption. In this state, other people are only projected images of the self's own need, its own fantasies, its own blood-congested urgencies. Above all, other people are projected images of its own fears: dreadful fears of mortality.
Vivian Gornick, Why Do These Men Hate Women? 1976

without initially passing judgement , mt first reaction is that Bellow was writing in the 50's.60's and 70's and the vernacular sited was risque yet acceptable from a man's point of view. Indeed there is a sexual spirit to bellow's writing Most of his big books pre-dated the Women's Lib Movement.

I wonder if he portrayed any mother figures - if he did - it would be interesting to note if he was more "respectful".

berthirsch:

Here are two quotes from James Atlas (not that Atlas is the last word on Bellow, there will be many more I think) the first echoing your observation and the second provoked by the women's movement of the 1970s.

Not that Bellow's obliviousness to the notion of women as independent thinking creatures was so unusual in that pre-women's liberation era of the 1950s. It was customary for men to pursue younger women and praise their physical endowments at the expense of their intellects. If Bellow was extreme in this regard, he was still within the normal range of male chauvinism

However, when Bellow was confronted by feminists in the 1970s, Atlas said:

Bellow's misogny was a cultural anachronism for which he almost gleefully refused to apologize.

I believe there is one passage in Herzog where he returns to Chicago and visits an aunt (mother figure) that might illuminate your suggestion that he showed respect for mother figures. And his short story "Leaving the Yellow House" is the only time that I know of where his protagonist is a woman. That story has an enigma for an ending that I am still wrestling with. Will we ever really know Saul Bellow?

i didn't read Atlas' bio of Bellow is it worth the read...his bio of Delmore Shwartz (Humboldt) was a pretty interesting study of a life tragically unfulfilled.

I think Atlas's book is definitely worth the read. In fact I am tempted to read the book on Delmore Schwartz. Of course, my book list grows exponentially from day to day. But still I follow Bellow's intricate fabrications with the greatest fascination. Have you read Ravelstein his take on Alan Bloom. Also a good read.

i loved Ravelstein- a brief yet engrossing read.