The Construction Of Female Subjectivity In The Bell

Iris Murdoch is one of the most influential novelists in England,and her fourth novel The Bell,which is noted with complicated relationships and multiple themes,is widely received in many countries.So far,scholars have studied this novel from various aspects,such as,Existentialism,religious and philosophical ideas,thematic studies and so on.However,there are very few interpretations from the perspective of psychoanalytic feminism.As a female writer,although Iris Murdoch tries not to be labeled as a feminist,her work,especially The Bell,still contains some feministic elements,and the psychological changes of two female characters are always worthy of attention.Hence,the thesis is dedicated to exploration of The Bell under the guidance of psychoanalytic feminism.By using the theories of Jacque Lacan and female subjectivity,the thesis analyzes Dora and Catherine's construction of female subjectivity.In the beginning,due to their immature psychology,they suffer different torments in the Imagery and Symbolic Orders.Later,when walking into the Real Order psychologically,both of them overcome past trauma and build female subjectivity successfully.Through analysis,this thesis attempts to prove that the methods for women to make a change under the influence of Phallocentricism is to be mentally mature and continue their journey of pursuing self-identification,so as to establish a harmonious relationship with men.