Constitution Of Female Subjectivity In Evelina

This thesis attempts to explore the implied challenge against the patriarchal system in Frances Burney's first novel Evelina, by applying Simone de Beauvoir's feminist existential theory to the interpretation of the female subjectivity in the novel.The introduction presents general information about the book, an account of the author's life and literary career, and the synopsis of the story. After reviewing two kinds of misreadings of the story in the history, the introduction states the necessity to adopt a new approach to disclose the novel's implicit challenge, which has been neglected. Recapitulating Beauvoir's theory, the introduction illuminates the feasibility of interpreting the female subjectivity in Evelina from existential feminist perspective.Chapter One scrutinizes Evelina's struggle against the conventional female gender role. In the patriarchal world where women are coerced into obeisance to the identity prefixed by their gender role, Evelina manipulates social conventions imperceptibly and determines her individual essence which constitutes her subjectivity.Chapter Two concentrates on the confrontation between Evelina, a"shy coquette",1 and her potential husband, a self-effacing gentleman. In their romance, the power to judge and the freedom to choose are unnoticeably obtained by the former and abdicated by the latter. When selecting her future spouse according to her values and morals, Evelina wields her freedom of choice as a self-reliant conscious being does.Chapter Three elucidates the confrontation between the persistent Evelina and her natural father. Granted the paternal name, the girl appears a subsidiary object depending on her father. Yet persevering in her efforts to reform her profligate father, she actually objectifies him and plays the role of a desiring subject.The conclusion indicates the reason for Burney's issuing implicit challenge against patriarchy and restates that the existential perspective is an effective approach...