The Other's Desire-A Feminist Way Of Comparing Sons And Lovers And The Golden Cangue

Both English author David Herbert Lawrence (1885-1930) and Chinese authoress Zhang Ailing (1920-1995) were awarded world fame; Sons and Lovers and The Golden Gangue are their masterpieces respectively. This thesis is an attempt to analyze the two novels from the feminist perspective to expose women's suppressed and subordinate situation as "the Other" in the patriarchal society, and to unmask the repression and predicament of immanent women.The thesis begins with a general introduction to the writing experiences of Lawrence and Zhang Ailing, a review on previous studies on the two works, and a brief survey of the originality and significance of this dissertation, followed by a brief review on feminist criticism and some relevant terms are presented. The thesis then focuses on the analysis of Mrs. Morel and Cao Qiqiao, protagonists in the two works respectively, through the developing procedures of their desires, that is, formation, development, fulfillment and self-destruction. Although the two protagonists have different expressions on desires due to different epochs that Lawrence and Zhang Ailing lived and their different views on female, the comparative analysis shows that it is the same predicament that both Western and Eastern women encounter in patriarchal society. Only the independence in economy or equality in politics could not essentially change women's situation, the break of the patriarchal social structure, and the progress of social system are also necessary conditions.Lawrence and Zhang Ailing had never met each other, but the two special uninhibited souls showed their similar attentions on female, and thus became the twin flowers bloomed in the world literature of twentieth century.