A Feminist Stylistics Analysis of Jane Eyre.doc

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1、简爱的女性主义文体学分析A Feminist Stylistics Analysis of Jane EyreAbstractSince its publication in 19th century, Jane Eyre has attracted readers and literary critics for its literary charms and feminist ideas. Numerous literary researches on Jane Eyre have contributed to the understanding and appraisal of the

2、novel.Different from the previous literary studies, this thesis makes an attempt to analyze Jane Eyre from a novel perspective of feminist stylistics. As a bridge linking two disciplines-literary criticism and linguistics, feminist stylistics is mainly concerned with analyzing the function of langua

3、ge choice for expressing feminist ideology. This thesis begins with a critical review of the current researches in literary criticism and linguistics on Jane Eyre, locating gaps for the present study of feminist stylistics. Then, drawing on the theory and method of feminist stylistics put forward by

4、 Sara Mills, the thesis unfolds its analysis over the textual language of Jane Eyre from two aspects: transitivity choice and conversational implicative.The stylistic examination combined with feminist ideology is proved to be effective in providing a new perspective for the interpretation of the un

5、derlying theme of feminism in “Jane Eyre”. Key words: Feminist stylistics; Transitivity; Conversational Implicature摘 要夏洛蒂勃朗特是英国19世纪著名女作家，其经典小说简爱自出版以来以卓越的文学魅力和强烈的女性独立意识深受广大读者和文学批评者的喜爱。在各个历史时期，对简爱的文学批评和语言研究分析举不胜举，这些研究使得小说的思想内涵不断得到挖掘和发扬。与传统的文学批评不同，本文尝试从女性主义文体学这一新视角，对简爱进行跨学科-文学和语言学-分析，探讨其语言的选择和使用如何折射出作者

6、潜在的女性主义思想。本文首先对夏洛蒂勃朗特及简爱的文学批评和语言学研究现状进行批评性综述，指出非常有必要把两类研究结合起来对小说的语言和主题进行研究，如可以从文体学角度诠释简爱的女性主义主题。在前人研究的基础上，本文利用Sara Mills提出的女性主义文体学理论和方法，集中从以下两个方面展开分析：及物性选择及其意义、人物对话的语用分析。本文最后得出结论：结合女性主义意识形态的文体分析是一个有效的研究方法，可以为读者提供一个新视角，以解读简爱的女性主义主题。关键词：女性主义文体学; 及物性; 会话涵义ContentsChapter One Introduction11.1 A profile

7、of Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre11.2 Significance of the thesis11.3 Theories and methods21.4 Organization of the thesis3Chapter Two Previous Researches on Jane Eyre52.1 Studies of Jane Eyre from feminism perspective52.2 Studies of Jane Eyre from linguistic perspective7Chapter Three Theoretical Basi

8、s for the Analysis of Jane Eyre83.1 Feminist literary criticism and stylistics83.1.1 Feminist literary criticism83.1.2 Stylistics93.2 Feminist Stylistics103.2.1 A brief introduction103.2.2 The current development of Feminist Stylistics113.2.3 Exemplified works of Feminist Stylistics133.2.3.1 Feminis

9、t Stylistics Analysis of the Short Story “Prelude”133.2.3.2 Feminine Stylistics Analysis of Up in Michigan133.3 Pragmatics14Chapter Four Analysis of Transitivity Choice and Feminist Overtone174.1 Analysis of Material Processes in Jane Eyre184.2 Analysis of Mental Processes in Jane Eyre224.3 Summary2

10、5Chapter Five Pragmatic Interpretation of Conversations in Jane Eyre265.1 Pragmatic analysis of conversations when Rochester proposed to Jane265.2 Implications of analysis of conversations33Chapter Six Conclusion34Bibliography36Acknowledgements39Chapter 1 Introduction1.1 A profile of Charlotte Bront

11、e and Jane Eyre1846, Jane was given birth by Charlotte Bronte in the eternal classicJane Eyre; since then the image of Jane has been a symbol of women pursuing equality and freedom. So far literary criticism and linguistic interpretations of the novel have provided diverse perspectives for an compre

12、hensive understanding of Janes feminist spirit. You think that because Im poor and plain, I have no feelings? I promise you, if God had gifted me with wealth and beauty, I would make it as hard for you to leave me now as it is for me to leave you. But He did not. But my spirit can address yours, as

13、if both have passed through the grave and stood before heaven equal. （Jane Eyre 2005：257）This is the most appealing declaration of womens rights for social equality and freedom. The declaration is also a profile of Charlotte Brontes values and her own life.1.2 Significance of the thesis This thesis

14、is meant to analyze Jane Eyre from a new perspective of feminist stylistics. Studies on this novel are numerous, mostly on the basis of either literary or linguistic theories separately. The present thesis attempts to combine both respects, by drawing on the theory of feminist stylistics proposed by

15、 Sara Mills, to interpret its language of text so as to appreciate feminism theme in the novel. Feminist stylistics, as a newly advanced theory and as a new interdisciplinary combining literary criticism and linguistics, has provided a new method to analyze female writers fiction and novels. Adoptin

16、g this approach, we can get a much broadened view to interpret different works to excavate thoughts as well as characteristics of roles and we can have a much profound insights of works, including desires and hopes for equal gender roles, protesting against sexism or discrimination for race and gend

17、er. Despite the rapid development of feminism literary criticism in western countries, little work has been done on analyzing female writers fictional works from the perspective of feminist stylistics; instead, most studies are focused on the female images in fiction by male writers who view the wor

18、ld from a masculine perspective, and who are featured with patriarchal power. Accordingly, this thesis attempts to conduct a tentative stylistic analysis of a female writers fiction, Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre. The analysis is mainly concerned with gender discrimination in this novel. It is expecte

19、d that this thesis can take the advantage of both feminist literary criticism and linguistic stylistics to make some contributions to literature study. 1.3 Theories and methods In this thesis, the method of feminist stylistic analysis is adopted to analyze a great female novel Jane Eyre. To be speci

20、fic, a feminist stylistics analysis is carried out by employing the methods-transitivity analysis, and pragmatic interpretation of conversation. Transitivity analysis is one of the methods in the ideational function of Hallidayan Functional Linguistic and it aims to explain the power relations betwe

21、en human beings (Liu Shisheng & Zhu Ruiqing 2006) In general, three types of processes represented by English clauses are of paramount significance: material process, mental process, and relational process. Material process can be further classified into material action process including material ac

22、tion intention and material action supervision, and material event process. Mental process can be subdivided into mental process internalized and mental process externalized. Pragmatics is a study of language-use in context. It studies the language in particular circumstances, in which meaning of wo

23、rds can be conveyed from the speaker (authors) to listener (readers). Pragmatics includes studies of speakers meaning, utterance meaning or contextual meaning. The study of pragmatics is also supported by Speech Act Theory, Cooperative Principle and Conversational Implicatures. John Austin (1962) pr

24、oposed Speech Act Theory that a speaker might perform three acts simultaneously when speaking, and that this process involves locutionary act, illocutionary act and perlocutionary act. Based on this theory, this thesis employs the method of conversational analysis to analyze parts of conversations b

25、etween Rochester and Jane to make an attempt to excavate the feminist theme from perspective of linguistics. 1.4 Organization of the thesisThis thesis has six parts, apart from abstract and acknowledgements, the main body has four chapters. Chapter One is introduction of Charlotte Bronte and her mas

26、terpiece Jane Eyre, aims and significance of this thesis, theories and method adopted and the organization of the thesis. Chapter Two covers current feminist literary criticism and stylistics studies on Jane Eyre. Chapter Three is mainly about theoretical basis of this thesis, combining feminist sty

27、listics and feminist literary criticism together with stylistics as subsidiary theories. Chapter Four involves analysis of Jane Eyre at level of grammar application with the method of transitivity choice. Then Chapter Five is the analysis at the level of discourse, specifically, conversational disco

28、urse, employing the theory of pragmatics. The last part is conclusion which expects to shed some light on the usefulness of perspective of feminist stylistics approach to the interpretation of female novel of Jane Eyre and limitation of this thesis.Chapter 2 Previous Researches on Jane EyreThis chap

29、ter gives a general review of the previous studies related to the present thesis “Feminist Stylistic Analysis of Jane Eyre”. Jane Eyre has been a significant female works in literary history for its aesthetical language, attractive plots and the image of Jane Eyre presenting the independent spirit o

30、f striving against social inequality, gender discrimination and patriarchal society. Its language is a reflection of feminism which attracts readers to appreciate it and literary critics to analyze it who view it from a perspective of literary criticism. 2.1 Studies of Jane Eyre from feminism perspe

31、ctiveFeminism is a significant topic in Jane Eyre, for it depicts a girls image that is common but brave enough to pursue her own happiness with independence and insistence. Compared with masculinity, this image represents females non-submission and non-subordination to males manipulation.Elaine Sho

32、walter (2004) presents her interpretations from a feminism point of view, and makes tremendous efforts to researches of womens works. Her book A Literature of Their Own (2004) reveals her high appreciation for Charlotte Bronte. According to Showalter, Jane Eyre is the heroine of fulfillment with an

33、extraordinary range of womens physical and social experiences. “I have had far more experience and, I think, a fuller conception of life. I have learned to take perhaps more a mans view of moral affairs” (quoted from Showalter, 2004:106). Janes claim is revolutionary in the world to which Janeand Ch

34、arlotte Brontebelonged (Teachman, 2008:23).Besides, Virginia Woolf fully acknowledged that there were precious gifts in Jane Eyre besides arts and techniques in writing. It is not for exquisite observation conception of life. I have learned to take perhaps more a mans view of moral affairs” (quoted

35、in Elaine Showalter, 2004:106). Janes claim is a revolutionary in the world to which Janeand Charlotte Brontebelonged (Teachman, 2008:23).Themes of Jane Eyre involve love, gender inequality, feminism, religion and so on. It is difficult to separate Janes gender obstacles and economic position, and h

36、er position as a woman prevents her from venturing out into the world as many of the male characters do Mr. Rochester. This is a reflection of Victorian times: women did not have a role as equal as men and women confronted with great hardships to pursue their own life. The disparity between Rocheste

37、rs high social class position and Janes humble origin directly leads to inequality, in essential, gender difference worsens this inequality. In line with this feminist analysis, characteristics of Jane are being against oppression, pursuing equality and independence, being loyalty to love. Her way o

38、f rebelling humiliation and equality, overcoming the hardships and her sense of economic independence and self-esteem, resistance to traditional system are elements of her characteristic. But her love with Rochester is romantic and devoted as well as loyalty, full of equality and personal charming.

39、Her dealing with Rochesters wife, who is a mad but was Rochesters wife on law, was an indication that Jane pursues honesty and loyalty of love. To sum up, most of the researches come from the literary realm, mainly focused on analyzing Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre from social and economic factors.

40、 And less emphasis is put on the language itself. This thesis intends to make a tentative study to analyze Jane Eyre from feminist stylistics, a perspective much focused on the language aspect.2.2 Studies of Jane Eyre from linguistic perspectiveAccording to novels genre characteristics, novels can b

41、e classified into five sorts: historical novels, romantic novels, detective novels, science fictions as well as love novels. In these sorts of novels, each sort has its own topic and authors make choices to select words to express their thoughts and themes of novels. So language and context has clos

42、e relationship with each other. Analysis of objective language of words and discourse can present a better understanding of themes and characters in certain circumstances.According to Hallidays Systemic-Functional Linguistics theory, there are three important functions: ideational function, interper

43、sonal function and textual function, which are available to approach text of Jane Eyre. Analysis has been made to analyze its language from perspective of functional stylistics, to be specific, from the respects ideational function, interpersonal function and textual function, at the same time, empl

44、oying the relationship between language and context which is concerned with field, tenor and mode, to discuss dialogues between Mr. Rochester and Jane, especially the dialogues of courtships that are offered by Mr. Rochester to Jane. In the thesis, Zhao Yanli (2007） has analyzed discourses in betwee

45、n Jane and Rochester to interpret relationship of the two characters. Though the whole novel, the author uses the first-person narrative method to give readers a deep and vivid impression of Janes life. As for the conversations of Mr. Rochester and Jane, the words that are selected indicate stylisti

46、c of the novel.Chapter 3 Theoretical Basis for the Analysis of Jane Eyre3.1 Feminist literary criticism and stylistics 3.1.1 Feminist literary criticism Feminist literary criticism plays a significant role in the cultural project of realizing the orientation of gender discrimination and changing the

47、 situation of womens being oppression. In a masculine society, women are relegated to a secondary position and even marginalized. And the theory has close connection with politics and gender. Restructure of an equal society in which there is no gender discrimination and patriarchal domination is the

48、 inner force of feminist movements. Feminist critics have realized that a men-dominated sense has permeated the literary history, including the edition, deconstruction, and production of texts. Since feminist literary criticism has close link to politics, it also has cohesive relationship with feminist movement, which is a movement appealing for womens equal rights politically, economically and culturally.There are two mainstreams of feminist literary criticism-British and American feminist literary criticism and French feminist literary criticism. The representatives of the theory are E