英国早期女权主义的局限性之省思--以《简·爱》为分析中心

The Limitations of Feminism in Jane Eyre

《简·爱》中的女权主义思想不可避免地受到了英国维多利亚时期核心价值观的影响。从小说的情节、对话和角色形象中,可以发现女主人公简爱对于男权统治和父权社会的默许。我们不仅应该揭示这部小说的女权主义意蕴,而且应该将其放入本文所揭示的种种矛盾和悖论之中进行省思:它依然接受了维多利亚价值观对女性的定义,即女性存在的意义依靠其丈夫而得以体现,女性生命的意义在于其对家庭事务的投入和对其丈夫的利益的关注。对《简·爱》中女权主义的局限性进行省思,不仅有助于我们从一个更加全面的视角来了解英国早期女权主义思想,而且对我们观照西方女权主义思潮的历史流变也具有重要启示。

Jane Eyre,the masterpiece of Charlotte Brontё,is one of the most famous novels in English history.Because of the feminist appeal for independence and sexual equality,it has long been the focus of feminist criticism in literary research.Most researches focus on feminist ideas in the novel,but the limitation of feminism is seldom studied.In my view,the feminism in Jane Eyre is inevitably limited by the core values in Victorian age.From the plots,dialogues and characters we can find a subconscious acceptance of male chauvinism and a submissive attitude towards patriarchy.The heroine Jane Eyre’s religious resort and spiritual reliance on Rochester show the weakness of her personality;the inferiority complex and sense of hierarchy run counter to her pursuit for equality;her subconscious submission to male chauvinism further weakens her feminist image.At the end of the novel,Jane Eyre has transformed from an independent feminist to a traditional“angle in the house”,a woman whose life is given meaning by her husband and family life.Although the novel has demonstrated progressive feminist pursuits for independence and spiritual equality,there are still limitations for its reception of the Victorian values regarding woman,that is,woman’s existence is given meaning by her husband,and the significance of woman’s life lies in her absorption in domestic affairs and her husband’s interests.A further exploration of limitations of feminism in Jane Eyre would provide us with a more comprehensive perspective to understand this novel.