On The Female Images In H. G. Wells's Science Fictions

As an outstanding realistic English writer in the twentieth century, Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) got many achievements in various fields. He contributed a lot in novel and is also a social thinker. Wells received many titles, such as science fiction writer, comedy writer, social novelist, social philosopher, the future prophet and human historians and so on. However, the most outstanding achievements come from his creation on science fiction and he was recognized as the father of British science fiction due to his monumental achievement in the writing of them. Some even regarded him as the Shakespeare of science fiction.The female images are easily ignored in Wells's science fiction. However, women in his works have rich characteristics and subtle inner activities. Wells concerned about the plight of women who were reduced to marginal situation, showed positive attitude to their courageous efforts to pursue happiness.This thesis is composed of five chapters: the first chapter is to introduce Wells and his works, present the writing intention and innovation of the thesis, and survey the studies on Wells as well as his works. Then the paper points out three typical images of women in Wells's six science fictions. The first is the female who accept the reality passively, the second pursue happiness actively and the third can change the society.The second chapter discusses the first kind of female by dividing them into three groups: the submissive mother, the dependent wife and the timid passive female friend.The third chapter analyzes the female who pursue happiness actively. By analyzing the courageous lover, the independent wife and the competent female friend, the author intends to prove that women's hard efforts are rewarding.In the fourth chapter, women are able to change the society. They make efforts not only for their own happiness, but also for the welfare of human beings. It shows that Wells appreciates women's rebellious spirit and ability of leadership, and hopes that there will be more women to participate in politics.In Chapter Five, women in Wells's science fiction experience the transformation from passiveness to activeness, from submissiveness to rebelliousness and from dependence to independence. It is deduced that Wells pays close attention to the living conditions of women and has great expectation on women's potential.