Abstract

Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923) is a contemporary novelist in English literature, the majority of whose works are categorized as psycho-analytical novels. Ling Shu-hua (1900-1990) is a main representative of “New Lady” writing genre during the 1930s. Famous for her stories themed by female life and mentality, she is dubbed “Chinese Katherine Mansfield” by well-known Chinese scholars of her time.
Striking similarities in the characters, themes, writing styles and techniques can be found in the short stories of Mansfield and Ling. Both writers accomplish their stories in a time of unprecedented changes, when new ideas clash with old values. Female characters in their stories, voluntarily and involuntarily, hover between the long-held social mores and the newly-emerged trend of freedom and ingenuity. Traditionally confined women struggle painfully during the process of their mental growth, before finally forming their self-identity and female consciousness. This process roughly corresponds to Jacques Lacan’s three orders of human psyche: the Real, the Imaginary and the Symbolic.
This thesis attempts to analyze the three phases of women’s psychological development and explore the underlying context and driving forces. Chapter One examines female aphasia in the Real Order by comparing western and Chinese women, who respectively fall victims to Phallus Centrism and male superiority. Chapter Two focuses on female disillusionment in the Imaginary Order and discusses the influences of World War One on western women and May Fourth Movement on Chinese women. Chapter Three deals with female self-realization in the Symbolic Order with regard to both writers’ own life experiences and mentality. It can be concluded that both writers exploit their own feelings so as to create a delicate female world in their stories, which unfold their similar styles and unique perspectives towards female problems. Most importantly, their writings lead to further reflection on women’s role and identity and their possible way out.
Key words: Katherine Mansfield, Ling Shu-hua, female consciousness, Jacques Lacan

摘要

凯瑟琳·曼斯菲尔德(1888-1923)是二十世纪英国作家，擅长创作心理写实小说。凌叔华（1900-1990）是中国现代女作家，为“新闺秀派”主要代表人物。凌叔华因创作以女性生活与心理为主题的短篇小说而得名，被同时期的中国学者称为“中国的曼斯菲尔德”。
无论在人物设置、主题表达还是写作风格和技巧上，两位作家的短篇小说都有惊人的相似之处。曼斯菲尔德和凌叔华的作品分别被置于不同的时代背景下，但相同的是，她们都经历了社会环境的巨变。在这个变化的环境中，新旧思想观念激烈碰撞。她们笔下的人物，尤其是女性角色，常常徘徊于社会固有道德观念和自由开放新趋势的边缘。这些被压抑的传统女性在心理成长的过程中苦苦挣扎，终于获得了自我身份认同，具备了现代女性意识。这个过程与法国心理学家拉康关于精神分析的三界理论大致对应，三界包括：实在界、想象界、象征界，分别对应女性意识丧失、萌芽和完备三个阶段。
本文将分别分析两位作家作品中女主人公心理成长的三个阶段，并探讨各个阶段驱使女性发展自我意识的动因和社会环境。第一章着眼于实在界中女性的失语处境，并比较菲乐斯中心主义和男尊女卑思想对西方和中国妇女的毒害。第二章进一步探讨想象界中女性理想的幻灭，并与作品中的相关时代背景相结合，阐释第一次世界大战和五四新文化运动对西方和中国女性分别的影响。第三章从两位作家异中有同的生活经历和心理状态入手，挖掘其作品中女性进入象征界、勇于追求并实现自我突破的个人动因。通过以上分析大概可以得出这样的结论：两位作家的作品风格温婉细致；她们以丰富的内心情感创造了清雅隽永的女性世界，同时以独到的视角关注女性问题，对当时女性的角色和身份进行深刻思考，也为这些问题的解决提供了可行的出路。

关键词：凯瑟领·曼斯菲尔德；凌叔华；女性意识；拉康