An Analysis Of Maugham’s Female Views

The British writer William Somerset Maugham is famous for his excellent characterization.His works have created many vivid characters,reflecting a profound analysis of the complex human nature.Maugham is recognized as a certain "misogynist tendency" writer,his female characters present the features of characterization:they are mostly vanity,the beautiful woman,is the opposite of men,and Maugham’s novel almost with positive image of men for the hero,in the way of male growth rarely need female,female seems to be dispensable,even negative example.The Painted Veil provides a different female image——Kitty,who is different from the female characters in other novels,but a female image who has a great change in the journey of life.This dissertation analysis the heroine Kitty,through her "growth",the power relations implied in the novel text and writer’s social situation,life experience,reveal Maugham trying to correct but the prejudice against women rooted in his heart,the dissertation includes the following five parts:The introduction introduces Maugham and The Painted Veil,analyzes and summarizes the existing academic research,and summarizes the origin of the topic selection and the main innovation points of this dissertation.The first chapter uses Jacques Lacan’s mirror theory to interpret Kitty’s "growth",discuss her relationship with mother and mother superior,"archway" represents the symbolic significance and its influence on Kitty,analyze the "other" in Kitty "growth" important role,and "self’ under the influence of "other" constant alienation.The second chapter draw on the feminist theories analysis female images in the novel,"the absence of female names" phenomenon and marriage relationship,in the text,the women in the novel are given the surname of husband or no name,husband in the novel marriage has absolute power,reflected in the husband to his wife has absolute power of judgment,and male writer to the construction of typical female characters,also reflects the gender power unequal,thus suggests that the novel is not by the author and readers aware of the power relationship.The third chapter is a deep analysis of Maugham’s social background and his own life experience,through compares the other male characters’s "growth" with Kitty,reveals Maugham’s deep prejudice towards women.The conclusion summarizes the whole dissertation.The heroine Kitty,travels to London,Hong Kong,Meitan Fu and other places,finally chooses to return to her father and go to the Bahamas together.Kitty’s transformation and the portrayal of women in the novel are still the male discourse strategy in essence.The so-called "growth" road is not personal identity for female subjectivity and the pursuit of self independence,but a moral"correction" after marital infidelity,the "correction" apparent borrow Kitty’s "awakening",but express through the denial of self,it still follows the logic that female unconsciously believe and internalize patriarchal ideas,but not cultivate a kind of self independence and awakening.Literary works are like a mirror,reflecting various ideas in the world,The Painted Veil just reflects the narrative of gender power in the writer’s works.