论文总字数：35726字

摘 要

作为《蝴蝶梦》与《雷雨》作品中的典型悲剧女主人公，吕蓓卡与蘩漪代表了同一时期东西方深受男权压迫的女性形象。鲜少有专家或学者基于对相关文献资料的研究，从女性主义理论的视角在两者之间作一对比分析。通过比较两位女性对男权统治的反抗，本文旨在基于两性平等的关系上，探究女性成长与解放的必然性、东西方女性之间互相学习的意义以及对现代女性的启示。

首先，本文对吕蓓卡与蘩漪的社会文化背景作出对比。其次通过分析她们各自的婚姻与家庭地位来探究她们的婚姻观。最后通过分析她们对男权社会的反抗以及在男权标准下不可避免的悲剧命运，揭露两者的女性意识觉醒与女性解放的迫切性。

基于女性主义视角下对吕蓓卡与蘩漪的对比分析，本文也分析了两者在个性以及斗争方式上的差异，可以有助于进一步理解这两位女性形象。

关键词：对比分析; 女性主义; 男权统治; 女性解放

1. Introduction

1.1 Research Background

Daphne du Maurier (1907—1990), Lady Browning DBE, is one of the representatives of British female writers in the twentieth century and known as the founder of the modern Gothic romance tradition in women’ s fiction. In most of her works, she shaped many independent and rebellious new women and showed her disagreement with the male-dominated society. Her feminism reflected in Rebecca originated from her experience of childhood and girlhood expectations as well as her social and family life.

Known as the best of Daphne du Maurier’s successful works, Rebecca has maintained an unbelievable popularity with women readers. Upon its first publication in 1938, it made an immediate hit and was sold for nearly 3 million copies between 1938 and 1965. Moreover, it has been translated into more than 20 languages and has never gone out of print. For several times, it has been adapted for both stage and screen. Until now, this book has remained a main research object to many writers at home and abroad.

As for Cao Yu (1910—1996), who has been widely acclaimed as an outstanding playwright in China, has created several works centering on the Chinese social reality of the 20th century which have exerted profound influence on the trend of Chinese modern drama. As his maiden and most famous work, Thunderstorm has been hailed as a sign that Chinese modern drama becomes mature. Until now, Thunderstorm has been translated into several languages and performed on the stage for many times. Besides that, it has also been adapted into TV series and movies.

Rebecca and Fanyi are two best-represented tragic heroines depicted in the two classic works. As two literary figures under different cultural backgrounds, Rebecca and Fanyi both represent typical victims and rebels against male domination. They have similarities and differences from the perspective of feminism, which is worth making concrete analyses. Throughout the research documents in the past about the

two women, there are a great number of literary criticisms discussing Rebecca and Fanyi respectively or comparing either of them with any other female images shaped in some well-known classic novels. But there is a research that very few experts or scholars have conducted, that is, a comparative analysis between the two figures from the perspective of feminism. Through comparison between Rebecca and Fanyi, this paper will rely on previous study to demonstrate the patriarchal oppression on women and reveal the necessity of feminine consciousness awakening, growth and liberation of women based on a fair relationship between two sexes.

1.2 Need for the Study

In that there is barely a comparative analysis between Rebecca and Fanyi in the previous studies, it will be of some significance to make a comparative analysis on the two female characters to explore their female consciousness awakening reflected in their revolt against male supremacy from the perspective of feminism.

Theoretically speaking, taking the comparative interpretation of the two figures for instance, scholars can get more hints and pay attention to the similarities and differences between eastern and western women in the light of feminism through studying more works.

Practically speaking, there is no denying that the comparative analyses between Rebecca and Fanyi from the perspective of feminism will offer modern women in the East and the West some beneficial enlightenment. Firstly, women in the new era should learn to take control of their own destiny and pursue their own willingness, reasonable requests and rights rather than submit to male power. Secondly, it is of great significance for modern women to improve their knowledge accomplishment, which can lay a foundation of their thought liberation. Thirdly, women in the East and the West should learn from each other to realize their individual independence and subjectivity in pursuit of personality independence and spiritual freedom. Last but not least, women in the new era need to achieve economic independence rather than rely on their male partners. Only by doing this can they actually gain self-esteem and self-realization on the basis of equality between two sexes.

2. Literature Review

According to the previous studies on Rebecca and Thunderstorm, scholars both in China and abroad have analyzed the female images Rebecca and Fanyi from multiple perspectives. In addition to the separate analyses of Rebecca and Fanyi, there are also lots of literature materials that make a comparison between either of them and other classic literary figures from the view of feminism.

2.1 Previous Studies on Rebecca

Rebecca has been viewed as a symbol of the devil for a very long time, but as time goes on, many writers and scholars have started to speak for her. Hu Xiaohua (2003) redefines Rebecca through analyses of her typical words and deeds in the light of feminism to prove that she should be regarded as a new feminist rather than being misunderstood as a hateful bad woman.

In addition, the similarities and differences between Rebecca and other female figures in dozens of literary classics have been discussed by some scholars in their published articles or papers. Ye Qing (2012) illustrates in a part of her paper Daphne du Maurier’ s Feminist Ideology—From the Perspective of Female Characters in Rebecca to compare Rebecca with Jane Eyre through analyzing their control of themselves and fight against the patriarchy system. Meanwhile, Wang Xue (2013) makes a comparison between Rebecca and Wang Xifeng in A Dream of Red Mansions to explain their feminine consciousness and specify the historic and individual causes of the feminine awakening of them.

2.2 Previous Studies on Fanyi

Likewise, Fanyi is not considered as a traditional Chinese woman by many scholars at home and abroad. She has been known as an eccentric woman who subverted the conventional female role defined by male-dominated society. To make a new understanding and recognition about Fanyi, Tang Hongxiu (2007) puts forward

an idea that it is normal and humane that Fanyi pursues personality freedom, love and happiness in the suffocating Zhou house. In terms of the appreciation on the deep logic and immanent contradiction of the female images created by Cao Yu, Zhang Peifang (2015) makes an analysis on Fanyi as a case study to explore her contradictory footstep of rebellion and obedience. Fanyi’ s inner nature of “liberation” and character like “thunderstorm” have been interpreted objectively by the author.

Moreover, some scholars and writers have also made comparative studies on the female characters written by Cao Yu or other Chinese writers like Zhang Ailing to explain the female emotional pursuit deviated from the patriarchal cultural concept. Besides that, Li Wei (2008) compares Fanyi and Bertha Mason in Jane Eyre to explore feminism and reveal the urgency of female liberation.

2.3 A Brief Review of Researches on Feminism

Generally speaking, feminism is a theory and movement for the claims of advocating and achieving equal legal, political, economic, social, familial and personal rights for women.

2.3.1 Cultural Backgrounds

Properly speaking, feminism originated in the West in the nineteenth century and developed with social revolution. In order to struggle against the gender order that men are superior to women and the oppression and discrimination against women, the modern western feminist movements have developed into three "waves" with the influence of the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution and so on. In Twentieth Century Western Critical Theories, Zhu Gang (2006) points out that the historical development of western feminist criticism brings up some schools of feminism such as liberal feminism, radical feminism and post-structuralist feminism and host of feminists like Virginia Woolf, Kate Millett and Simone de Beauvoir. In the whole process, these western feminists keep discovering the root cause of female issues.

Relatively speaking, Chinese feminism has grew and developed on the basis of Western feminism. In the early twentieth century, Chinese women’ s liberation emerged, centering on national liberation movement which reflects anti-imperialism and anti-feudalism spirits. The Revolution of 1911, the May Fourth Movement and new democracy have promoted the process for women to gain their rights and interests to varying degrees. However, deeply influenced by the feudal culture, Chinese feminism has not formed a relatively complete knowledge system.

2.3.2 View of Marriage

Tan Yong (2011) summarizes the development history of feminist view on marriage. He clearly puts forward that the feminist view on marriage has undergone three tides of development. On view of marriage, feminism advocates female independence and initiative as well as absolute freedom of marriage choice. Besides that, it also emphasizes the establishment of marriage system on the basis of the thought of gender equality.

In addition, Virginia Woolf (1989) puts forward in her masterwork A Room of One’s Own that economic independence is of vital importance for women to win freedom and dignity. Only in this way can they gain their principle status in the family instead of being totally dependent on their husbands.

2.3.3 Revolt Against Male-Domination

Feminism regards equality between the two sexes as the basic purpose, emphasizing that women should realize their personal and social values and struggle for liberation of their thoughts and actions.

Therefore, a host of feminists hold that women should emphasize their individual independence and subject consciousness, trying to escape from physical and spiritual enslavement under the authority of patriarchy so as to struggle for their own reasonable rights and interests. Furthermore, socialist feminists think the fundamental cause of women’ s being oppressed domestically and socially is that they have lost

their own economic rights in the male-dominated society(Tan 2011). Hence, feminism advocates that women also need to struggle against male-domination and pursue female liberation on the basis of economic independence.

Based on the previous studies, this paper intends to compare the similarities and differences between Rebecca and Fanyi so as to explore their female consciousness in revolt against patriarchy and pursuit of spiritual freedom from the perspective of feminism.

3. A Comparative Analysis Between Rebecca and Fanyi from the Perspective of Feminism--Cultural Backgrounds and View of Marriage

3.1 Cultural Backgrounds

3.1.1 Cultural Background of Rebecca

Rebecca lives in the early twentieth century in British society. Under the background of this era, owing to the British traditional concept of gender hierarchy, the view that men are superior to women has still ruled British society.

During this period, British socioeconomic structure starts to change, which provides employment opportunities for women. However, the traditional family pattern has not essentially changed and the concept of being a devoted wife and mother is still considered as an ideal standard for women. Precisely because family is still the focus of female lives, it is difficult for women to give full play to their talents and achieve equal treatment in the society. However, with the influence of the feminist movement and the support of British government, some educational institutions have emerged in the society to provide educational opportunities for women, which lays a foundation of Rebecca’ s independent consciousness and affirmation of self-worth as well as her strong revolt to male-domination.

3.1.2 Cultural Background of Fanyi

When it comes to Fanyi, she lives in the early twentieth century in China, an era which remains centering on patriarchy and feudal autocracy. Obviously, women have been suffering from physical and spiritual slavery under the oppression of feudal ethics which advocates wifely submission and virtue.

Nevertheless, during this period, with the development of the Revolution of 1911 and the New Culture Movement which provides an ideological basis for the rise of the May Fourth Movement, new ideals of women’ s emancipation of individuality and thoughts has spread quickly in the society. Fanyi has accepted new education and

been inevitably influenced by the spirit of liberating women advocated in these campaigns. However, after all, it is still on the stage of transitional era that the enlightenment is not completely popular and the old ideology still exists in people’s mind. Hence, on one hand, Fanyi has the traits of old-fashioned women who deeply suffer from feudalism of over two thousand years’ history. But on the other hand, her female consciousness for sexual equality and spiritual freedom is also inspired by new thoughts in the movements. Therefore, Fanyi has her own contradictions in personality and actions.

3.2 View of Marriage

Under two different cultural fields, Rebecca and Fanyi both come from the upper class and are the hostess of a big family after getting married. As two victims under the oppression of patriarchal society, although they lead a life of luxury and privilege after marriage, they both have a loveless marriage and their husbands are the typical representatives of male dominance and authority. However, there is a great difference in their marriage life and family status.

3.2.1 View of Marriage of Rebecca

For Rebecca, she comes from a wealthy family and receives a good education which frees her mind at a high level. In the 20th century, the British women’ s marriage view has not changed much. By getting married, they are financially and spiritually dependent on their male partners, which makes them lose equality in marriage but which seems unacceptable and intolerant in Rebecca’ s eyes. That is why Rebecca pursues marriage equality to protect her own interests in the patriarchal society rather than perform as a traditional wife who is docile and obedient. To Rebecca, marriage equality consists in equal rights and obligations between couples, which ensure her to maintain individuality.

Contrary to “I” who shows dependence and worship to her husband--symbol of the patriarchal society, Rebecca is unwilling to defer to him especially in marriage. Therefore, on the fifth day of marriage, she asks her husband to agree on a marriage

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