| As one of the most influential American writers in the 21st century, Edith Wharton(1862—1937), resorting to thought-provoking language to portray a thorough picture of politeness, culture and custom in the upper society, probes into deep-rooted contradictions imposed on individuals and society and among individuals themselves. With the help of Wharton, readers cannot help being moved by the protagonists' fates and pondering on major reasons of women's miserable lives. As a female writer, successfully, Wharton conducts a comprehensive observation of how the majority of women try their utmost to survive in the society where oppression and discrimination prevail. The novel of The Age of Innocence is indeed a classical work concerned about women's destiny.Based on the theoretical framework of contemporary feminism, which interprets woman problem from the brand-new perspective of patriarchal society, this thesis tends to make a thorough analysis of Wharton's exploration that how women overcome myriad barriers to survive in male-dominated society and realize their lifetime values. The thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter One displays the general framework of the paper and concise contents. Chapter Two elaborates on the far-reaching influence of feminist theory on Wharton. Chapter Three probes into miserable fates of and inevitable conflicts imposed on the protagonists in the novel from the feminist perspective. Chapter Four analyzes the answer provided by Wharton to the formidable woman problem and a possible way out. Chapter Five makes comments on Wharton's solution to woman problem and some potential limitations.Stimulated and enlightened by feministic discovery of female sufferings, Wharton gains a deeper insight into patriarchal society where nearly all women live. On the surface, the finale of The Age of Innocence is a kind of compromise and cooperation with male-controlled society, while in fact it is a powerful struggle. In view of the upper society she lives in and traditional rales she is infused with, Wharton can make it possible that the heroin, Ellen, expatriates dauntlessly to a foreign country, rejects the hypocritical love from Archer, and most importantly says no to her suffocating marriage, which serves as the proclamation against male-dominated society. Meanwhile, there is no denying that those perplexed women still in miserable lives will acquire hints and embark on the road to struggle for freedom. |
