Soap Opera. Feminist Perspective Study

The thesis traces the research on soap opera from the perspective of some feminists. It raises the question "why do women like watching soap operas?" and discusses on that. It tries to figure out the background of research on soap operas and reasons why they became prosperous in 1920s. And then analyzes the evolution of viewpoints and analyzing methods. The author unscrambles the advances and existing problems.Soap operas fall into the category of evergreen TV series in western commercial TV programs. They are popular since 1930s and that, apparently, has much to do with the women's cultural pattern. But it was not been researched in the scope of feminism until 1980s.There are many topics on soap opera from the perspective of feminism. Based on the mainstream theory holding a scorning attitude and the audience's affection, the thesis focuses on the reasons why women viewers like soap operas. According to the achievements made by feminist scholars, the thesis explores the topic in five respects: reckoning that they bring narrative fun, manifest popular pleasant sensation, expose private domain, build up knowledge and linguistic system of soap operas and provide ideal family life.The focus is on the achievements in the scope. It rectifies the bias on sex in the research and analyzes from new angles of feminist sociology, feminist psychology, and women's history—social history on sex. All are developed in varied methods of analysis.The problems in research on soap opera from the perspective of feminism are apparent: the contradiction in the standpoint, defects in methods, deficiencies in psychological analysis and audience research, and intentional ignorance of race, class and commercial interests, which may lead to profound thoughts.