Final answer:
Feminist Criticism focuses on equality and change in literature, explored by Kolbenschlag and Hurston through the empowerment of female characters and celebration of African-American culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
A key idea of Feminist Criticism is the commitment to equality and change, arguing that literature reflects gender attitudes. Feminist literary criticism can be categorized into three stages: patriarchal criticism, gynocriticism, and feminine writing.
In their writing, Kolbenschlag and Hurston explore this idea through the empowerment of female characters and the celebration of African-American culture. In her novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God,' Hurston portrays the journey of Janie Crawford as she develops into a self-actualized woman who loves herself and lives life on her own terms. In Kolbenschlag's essay, she examines the theme of self-liberation in Hurston's story 'Sweat,' where the protagonist Delia Jones finds the strength to stand up against her abusive husband.
By analyzing and highlighting the experiences and perspectives of marginalized women, both Kolbenschlag and Hurston contribute to the revival and uncovering of historically silenced voices.