《达洛卫夫人》中追求双性同体

Agony in the Struggle for Androgyny in

Mrs. Dalloway

by

A thesis presented to the School of English Studies of

Xi’an International Studies University

in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of

Bachelor of Arts

May 18, 2015

Class: 2011-07

Advisor:

西安外国语大学

毕业论文开题报告

《达洛卫夫人》中追求双性同体的痛苦

摘要：

虽然诸多女性主义研究者曾透过社会运动、父权压迫等多个视角对《达洛卫夫人》展开探讨，但文中双性同体的内心痛苦却未得到足够关注。本文将通过文本分析法，从小说中角色间的关系，以及主线人物体现的对称性主题这两大角度分析两性在追求双性同体过程中面临的心理痛苦。在此基础上，进一步探索一战后两性的自我意识和身份认知，从女性心理层面观察现代女权运动，从而丰富当代女性主义文学研究。

关键词：

双性同体；女性主义；心理痛苦；一战后

Agony in the Struggle for Androgyny in Mrs. Dalloway

Abstract：

As Virginia Woolf’s masterpiece, Mrs. Dalloway holds a significant position in modernist literature. What’s more, it attracts more and more attentions in literary study of Feminism. Though most of scholars have interpreted this novel from the perspective of patriarchy or discrimination, I think the mental dilemma of Androgynous consciousness needs more concern. This thesis, applying the method of text analysis, probes into two major aspects: gender relationships among characters and opposition presented by Clarissa and Septimus. Based on such a study, this thesis tries to analyze the psychological agony in the struggle for Androgyny in Mrs. Dalloway. It will also investigate gender identity and gender relations after World War I. Through its analysis, this thesis hopes to discover the psychological obstacles of Feminist Movement as well as to enrich the study of feminist literature.

Keywords:

Androgyny; Feminism; psychological agony; after World War I

Table of Contents

1. Introduction .............................................................................. 错误！未定义书签。

1.1 An Introduction to Mrs. Dalloway..................................... 错误！未定义书签。

1.2 Virginia Woolf and Androgyny (2)

1.3Literature Review (3)

2. Gender Relationships Among Character (5)

2.1 Masculine Women and Feminine Men (5)

2.2 Clarissa’s Choice Between Peter and Richard (7)

2.3 Homosexual Orientation Among Females (9)

3. Contrast of Clarissa and Septimus (11)

3.1 Insanity and Death (11)

3.2 Sanity and Life (12)

4. Conclusion (14)

Works Cited (16)

1. Introduction

1.1 An Introduction to Mrs. Dalloway

Virginia Woolf occupies a significant place in literature history. Her experiments of modern writing techniques and her probe into gender relationships make great contributions to modern literature and feminism study.

Virginia Woolf was born in Kensington, London, on January 25th, 1882. She was the daughter of Julia Prinsep Duckworth Stephen and Leslie Stephen who was a respectable scholar, critic and biographer in the Victoria Age. Family’s connection with London literary society and elite education at home made her interested in literature. Later, the spirit of equality and freedom shared by Bloomsbury Group members promoted her devotion to literature and encouraged her to write novels. Though internationally renowned as a forerunner of modern literature, Woolf was all along in a terrible mental state. She suffered from several severe mental breakdowns, the last of which caused her suicide when she was only 59 years old. Her major works include novels Jacob’s Room, Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, and Orlando, and a book-length essay A Room of One’s Own.

Woolf began to write Mrs. Dalloway in 1922. World War I witnessed the collapse of British Empire, leaving deep psychological scars on its people. British society changed in every aspect. During the war, the Feminism Movement achieved its first peak, in which women mainly fought for their rights in suffrage. As for the author herself, Woolf was getting better from her severest metal breakdown in 1915. Under such a background, Mrs. Dalloway, published in 1925, is one of her best-known novel for its sophisticated connotation and its experiment in writing techniques. Wandering in the streets of London, Clarissa Dalloway is preparing a social party. Recollecting her audacious but romantic lover Peter Walsh who disturbs her mind through an unexpected morning visit, she begins to compare her happy bygone and meaningless present. She also questions her choice of marrying the stable Parliamentarian Richard Dalloway. A car accident connects Clarissa to her male