The article comprises of mainly two parts, beginning with the evolution of feminism in the United States it clearly focuses on the need, role and impact of feminist literature on the society. The second part deals with the detailed biography of the poet, Adrienne Rich. It brings out her merit as a poet, prose writer, critic, educationist, social reformer and radical feminist. The paper traces her growth as a poet and thus presents her contribution to the feminist literary movement. Feminism is the promulgation of the rights of women. It aims to change women’s position in society. “It is an assertion of a woman’s social and political rights for equality: negation of stereotypic sex roles, gender bias, job discriminations, compulsory heterosexuality, imposition of wifehood and motherhood, oppression and sexism. It recognizes woman’s power of independent decision making, her competence, intelligence and her status as an equal, as an individual, as a human being, as a person capable of contributing to social and national progress and development”. (Gupta, 1996)

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