Questioning The Essence Of Women's Liberation--A Critical Study On Churchill's Women Characters In Cloud Nine And Top Girls

This thesis attempts to question the essence of women's liberation and equality through the analysis of the women characters in Caryl Churchill's Cloud Nine and Top Girls. After revealing the oppression behind the stereotypes of women images, the thesis affirms the efforts and achievements that traditional feminists have made in seeking liberation and equality. Problematizing the achievements, the thesis points out that the liberation and equality cherished by traditional feminists actually are the duplication of masculine mode which traps themselves and makes their liberation meaningless. And the thesis proposes that the root of this imitation originates from the dualist epistemology of western ideology and women must be aware of the necessity of eradicating the dualist epistemology in their mind if they want to achieve true liberation and equality with men. The thesis finally comes to the conclusion that Churchill, while affirming the success made by traditional feminists, does not celebrate feminism. On the contrary, questioning the essence of women's liberation and equality, Churchill reveals the necessity of eradicating the dualist epistemology and promises a decentralized society when everyone is really equal and free.