Please answer the following question: Facts:   - birth name: elaine cottler    - spouse: english showalter -lrb- 2 children -rrb-      - birth date: january 21 , 1941    - name: elaine showalter    - birth place: boston , massachusetts   Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of elaine showalter .
Answer:
elaine showalter -lrb- born january 21 , 1941 -rrb- is an american literary critic , feminist , and writer on cultural and social issues .she is one of the founders of feminist literary criticism in united states academia , developing the concept and practice of gynocritics .best known in academic and popular cultural fields , she has written and edited numerous books and articles focused on a variety of subjects , from feminist literary criticism to fashion , sometimes sparking widespread controversy , especially with her work on illnesses .showalter has been a television critic for `` people '' magazine and a commentator on bbc radio and television .