Interpretation Of Female Images In Oscar Wilde's Dramas

In Victorian Age, the political and economic development does not upgrade the social status of British women since the conventional notion of women shackles their development. The germination of advanced feminist ideas brings about the first-wave feminism fighting for women's freedom and equality. Its widespread influence is especially reflected in literature. As a well-known British poet, playwright, artist and advocator of aestheticism in fin de siecle, Wilde sensitively perceives the needs of Victorian women's change and development. Consequently, Wilde creates women characters with distinctive personalities, advanced thoughts endowing them with "New Woman" features. With the awakening of self-awareness, they are no longer satisfied with conventional female roles. Some of them strive for love, some for freedom and equal rights and some "fallen women" struggle to return to materially or spiritually decent life. The creation of these new women conveys Wilde's free and equal feminist view.This thesis relies on the state of Victorian women and first-wave feminism combining with Wilde's literary theories, analyzes female images in Wilde's dramas and summarizes Wilde's advanced view on women, and meanwhile explores factors influencing it.Through the careful analysis, the view of this thesis can be expressed as follows. Female images in Wilde's dramas reflect his feminist view. He sneers at the upper-class hypocrisy of Victorian society by utilizing the more idealized, when compared with social reality, living state and attitude of female characters, which reveals his critical attitude towards social reality and positive attitude towards women's development. Meanwhile, the shaping of Wilde's feminist view is deeply influenced by contemporary New Woman Writers and those social, domestic and professional factors.