简· 奥斯丁《爱玛》中的女性意识分析_英语论文

Analysis of the Women Consciousness Reflected in Jane Austen’s Emma

摘要

简· 奥斯丁是19世纪英国伟大的小说家，也是世界文学史上最具代表性的女性文学家之一。奥斯丁的六部小说，从伊丽莎白到爱玛主题都是爱情和婚姻，但她笔下的女性不再是缺乏个性的传统女性，她的作品充满了对女性价值的新认识。她刻画的人物栩栩如生，文笔轻松幽默。淋漓尽致地展现了英国乡绅阶级的生活景象。

《爱玛》是一部典型的女性主义小说。主人公爱玛集聪明与漂亮于一身，她既热情又善良，又有几分势利与傲慢。然而，她的身上凸显了奥斯丁强烈的女性意识——自由平等意识、主体意识及自我意识。她试图挑战与撼动当时父权制社会下的男性权威，因而被赋予了完全不同于传统女性柔弱、恭顺的形象。显然，爱玛具有同时代女性鲜有的优越性。自由的成长环境赋予其自由的心灵；同时，富裕的家境又是其天性得以自由发展的物质保障。另一方面，奥斯丁毕竟不能完全超越她所处的时代，她的女性意识仍然透露出那个时代的男权思想以及社会等级的影响。本文分析小说《爱玛》中的女性意识，以及这种意识的来源。企望有助于把握奥斯丁女性意识的内涵，同时对女性追求自由平等具有一定的借鉴意义。

关键词:  女性意识 简·奥斯丁 爱玛

Abstract

Jane Austen is a world-famous British novelist and also one of the most representative feminine writers. Austen’s six novels, from Elizabeth to Emma, all center around love and marriage. But her female protagonists are no longer the traditional women devoid of individuality. Instead, she gives a brand-new definition of female value. With the living characters and humorous tone, she unfolds for readers the picture of the daily life of the English gentry class. 

Emma is a typical feminist novel. The main character Emma is clever and pretty with a warm and kind heart but is sort of snobbish and arrogant. However, she embodies Austen’s women consciousness—consciousness of freedom and equality, subject consciousness and self-consciousness. She dares to challenge and sabotage the society of male authority, no longer a gentle and submissive image. Apparently, Emma’s women consciousness derives from the free environment with her economic independence sustaining her free development. On the other hand, Austen is not a woman beyond her time for her consciousness is affected by the male chauvinism and social hierarchy. Analysis of the women consciousness in Emma and its origin provides an explicit and overall understanding of Austen and further serves as a reference for women’s liberation. 

Key words:  women consciousness; Jane Austen; Emma

Contents

Introduction …………………………………………………………………………….1

1. The Author and the Novel ………………………………………………………....3

1.1 About Jane Austen ………………………………………………………………3

1.2 An Introduction to Emma ……………………………………………………….3

2. The Awakening of Austen’s Women Consciousness ……………………………..4

2.1 Consciousness of Equality and Freedom ………………………………………..5

2.2 Subject Consciousness …………………………………………………………..6

2.3 Self-consciousness ………………………………………………………………8

3. The Causes of Austen’s Women Consciousness ………………………………...10

3.1 The Free Growth Environment ………………………………………………...10

3.2 The Substance Support ………………………………………………………...12

4. The Limitations of Austen’s Women Consciousness …………………………...14

4.1 Male Chauvinism ………………………………………………………………14

4.2 Class Consciousness …………………………………………………………...15

Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………….17

References ……………………………………………………………………………..20