论凯特·肖邦《一小时的梦想》中隐匿的讽刺

The Hidden Sarcasm in Kate Chopin's The Dream of an Hour

凯特·肖邦的短篇小说《一小时的梦想》是19世纪末美国女权主义文学的先驱代表作之一。迫于当时社会传统观念和现实制度的制约,作者巧妙地设计故事情节,并运用了象征、反差等隐匿的讽刺手法,以一个主妇和丈夫之间生死的戏剧性转化为主线,以跌宕起伏的情节和意外的结局展现女性意识从萌发、觉醒到最终幻灭的悲剧过程,体现了在男权占主导的制度下女性对自由、新生的向往和对摆脱男权束缚的渴望。

Kate Chopin＇s short story The Dream of an Hour is one of the most representative works of American feminist literature at the end of 19 th century. Under the constraints of the traditional convention and the social system, the author applies a series of hidden techniques, such as the use of symbolism and striking contrast, to achieve the effect of sarcasm. The story, centering upon the dramatic switches between life and death of a housewife and her husband, features a twisting plot and an unexpected ending, which symbolizes the awakening of female consciousness, and the disillusionment of women＇s freedom dream, and also reveals women＇s yearning for a free and new life in the male-dominated system, and their strong desire of extricating from the patriarchic bindings.