A Research On Dynamic Construction Of Citrine’s Masculinity In Humboldt’s Gift

Saul Bellow(1915-2005),a great Jewish American writer,is known as the spokesman for contemporary American literature.He wrote a lot of works in his life and contributed 11 novels and many short stories to the literary world.Humboldt’s Gift has attracted wide attention since it was published in 1975.Throughout the research at home and abroad,national identity,humanistic thoughts and narrative techniques have always been the central content of the study,but there is still a lack of enough attention to the masculinity in the novel.Therefore,from the perspective of Raewyn Connell’s theory of masculinity,this thesis analyzes the process of the dynamic construction of Charlie Citrine’s masculinity in Humboldt’s Gift,and probes into the various and deep-seated causes leading to the transformation of his masculinity,so as to deepen the understanding of the fate of him and explore the strategies for constructing an ideal masculinity.It is expected to provide new ideas for interpreting Citrine’s journey of life and enrich the research dimension of Saul Bellow’s novels.This thesis consists of three chapters.The first chapter discusses the dynamic transformation of Citrine’s masculinity.Due to being in different historical periods and social circumstances,Citrine shows different types of masculinity in the process of constructing his own masculinity.Citrine’s obedient behavior to Humboldt and the feminine characteristics revealed in him confirm his subordinated masculinity.He presents hegemonic masculinity when he gains upper-class recognition through career success and dominance in gender relations through having an affair.However,after experiencing career recession,economic bankruptcy and marital breakdown,facing the challenges brought by the oppression within the male group and the awakening of female consciousness,Citrine chooses to compromise and establishes complicit masculinity.The evolution of Citrine’s masculinity not only proves the dynamics and plasticity of masculinity,but also demonstrates Citrine’s exploration and reflection in the process of constructing masculinity.The second chapter analyzes the causes for the transformation of Citrine’s masculinity.In the novel,it is mainly influenced by consumerism,Jewish identity and gender relations.Since the 20 th century,modern consumer society has gradually developed in the United States.The society full of the supremacy of money makes the evaluation criteria of masculinity more materialized.Citrine constructs his hegemonic masculinity in the process of pursuing consumerism and materialism and gets rid of subordinated masculinity.However,Jewish men who are labeled feminized generally have difficulties and anxiety in constructing their own masculinity,and the contradiction between Jewish identity and American experience is even irreconcilable.Citrine’s blind imitation of American orthodox masculinity not only makes him unable to maintain the hegemonic masculinity that has been constructed enduringly,but also gradually evolves into complicit masculinity due to the loss of national identity and self-confidence.Meanwhile,with the vigorous development of the feminist movement,the patriarchal system has been seriously questioned,and women with economic independence and awakening of consciousness continue to challenge men.Citrine’s ex-wife and mistress are no longer willing to be his accessory,subverting his hegemonic masculinity and promoting the establishment of Citrine’s complicit masculinity while pursuing their own happiness and freedom.The third chapter explores Citrine’s strategies of building an ideal masculinity.In the novel,Bellow displays his ideal male image through the role of Citrine,namely,a man who has a strong body,a successful career,an ideal family and the characteristics of responsibility,self-confidence,courage and love.In the process of dynamic construction of Citrine’s masculinity,he has met some standards to a certain degree,but with the transformation of masculinity,Citrine needs to constantly adjust strategies to realize the construction of ideal masculinity.In his twilight years,Citrine pays attention to taking part in sports activities to strengthen his body.Although his career is at a low ebb,he keeps the pursuit of literary career.As a father,he actively fulfills his responsibility and tries to make up for the damage caused to the children by the breakdown of his marriage.In the process of seeking for emotional ties and building self-confidence in national identity,Citrine identifies with traditional Jewish culture and practices universal Jewish values.The male chauvinism spawned by the traditional hegemonic masculinity has influenced Citrine’s thought for a long time,which makes Citrine often fall into a contradictory situation.After being criticized by his ex-wife and abandoned by his mistress,he realizes that equal treatment and mutual love are crucial to attain gender harmony.The construction of ideal masculinity is not achieved overnight,which requires constant reflection and practice in order to realize the shaping of ideal masculinity.As a product of social construction,masculinity transforms with the changes of social circumstances and historical process.The transformation of Charlie Citrine’s masculinity is under the influence of social culture,Jewish identity and gender relation.The dynamic construction of his masculinity indicates that a person’s masculinity is not immutable,everyone has the opportunity to construct an ideal masculinity that meets social and cultural standards.The dynamic process of the transformation of Citrine’s masculinity reflects Saul Bellow’s confidence and expectation for American men in the transitional period to construct the ideal masculinity,which also symbolizes the perception and pursuit of contemporary American men in adapting to the changes of the times.