On The Construction Of Female Subjectivity In Byatt's Possession

Antonia Susan Byatt (1936——) is one of the most important women writers in British contemporary literature. Most of her works are mainly about women, which concerned about female existence and female subjectivity. Her fifth novel Possession which was the best-seller after its release in Europe and America blended variety of literary theoretical thoughts and received a warm welcome from the critics. In 1990 it won its writer the Booker Prize for Fiction and the Irish Times/Aer Lingus International Fiction Prize and it has been one of her most influential novels.Byatt is interested in feminism. She claimed that she was a political feminist. She always thinks that women can also do something great like men in the world and women should seize opportunities on the way to rights and freedom, which would let them obtain freedom soon.Through versions of female experience in the myths, epic and tales in Possession, Byatt indicates that female subjectivity is hidden, diverse, in process, constantly reconstituting itself, and always vulnerable to the male gaze that attempts to fix it. She thinks that modern feminists have made incorrect comments on the Victorian feminists. She recollects the feminism history and proposes the construction of subjectivity, especially ideas and framework for the construction of female subjectivity. In Possession she narrates closely around the living conditions of women, and holds that women should own their subjectivity and live harmoniously with male-power in their pursuit of rights and freedom.This thesis is to analyze the construction of female subjectivity and Byatt's ideas for the construction in Possession from the perspective of subjectivity. Byatt's active effort and her positive view of feminist movement would be worth referring for modern feminists.The thesis consists of parts:Chapter One is the introduction, which consists of fours sections:a biographical sketch of the life and literary achievements of Byatt; a brief summary of the plot and content of the novel Possession; a survey of the critical responses to Possession both at home and abroad; and a brief explanation of the purpose of the thesis. Chapter Two analyzes the construction of married women's female subjectivity from two aspects:(1) Melusina's male-constructed subjectivity. Melusina was an immortal descendant in French mythology and the Victorian poetess LaMotte rewrote the ancient myth as an epic The Fairy Melusina. Men describe Melusina as demon and enchantress Snake although Melusina owns magic, builds homes and castles for her family and brings harvests for the farmers. She was deserted and could only fly back at deep nights to feed her infant son. LaMotte rewrote the myth to show men's negative viewpoints to powerful women and praise the love of mother. (2) Ellen's passive subjectivity. Ellen was born in a well-being family. As her parents'daughter, she possesses no discourses in her family. She submits herself in patriarchy and was trained to be an obedient daughter whose marriage was decided by her parents, which leads to her late marriage at thirty-six and her sexual insecurities and infertility.Chapter Three analyzes the construction of single women's subjectivity. This part includes two sections:(1) LaMotte's construction of female subjectivity. It concludes (1) LaMotte's conscious pursuit of subjectivity. As a creative woman, LaMotte expresses her desire and determination to gain freedom and autonomy through myths and tales. (2) LaMotte's dilemma in the construction of female subjectivity. LaMotte's dilemma will be her against man-centred culture and man-centred discourse, and her yielding to patriarchy. As time and other objective conditions'limited, it is impossible to resist patriarchy completely and successfully. LaMotte submits to it. (2) Maud's self-fulfilled subjectivity. Maud is an independent LaMotte-scholar. She possesses her career with her own hard-working and effort. She remains isolated from men and holds unfriendly attitude to them. However, she realizes the important of man's love, and then accepts her boyfriend Roland and lives harmoniously with him after she has collected materials about LaMotte and summarized her pain and frustration single life.Chapter Four is the conclusion. It sums up the main points discussed above and illuminates the worth-thinking viewpoints of feminism in Possession.