Carnivalization In A Feminist World-Research On Nights At The Circus From The Perspectives Of Carnival Theory And Feminism

Angela Carter is one of the most outstanding British women writers of20thcentury, and as hermasterpiece, Nights at the Circus is also one of the most brilliant works in contemporary literature. As aself-proclaimed feminist, her plentiful feminist thoughts as well as deep concern for women conveyed inher works are always the focuses of critics, however although there are also plenty of carnivalesquefeatures in Nights at the Circus, there is hardly any systematic analysis on it, not to mention the studyconsisting of these two points of view. This thesis thus tries to employ Bakhtin's carnival theory plusfeminist points of view to expound the establishment of a subversive carnivalesque world in the novel,analyzing how Carter utilizes those carnival features such as crowning and de-crowning, grotesque bodiesand carnival laughter to realize her feminist aims of deconstructing the binary–oppositions, subverting thegender roles in the male–dominated society and reconstructing a harmonious heterosexual relationship.The thesis begins with a brief introduction to Angela Carter and her works, reviewing the criticalhistory of Carter as well as the related comments on Nights at the Circus. Based on this literature review,the author of the thesis has figured out the potential possibilities for further studies with a structural design.The main body of this thesis consists of four chapters. Chapter One talks about Bakhtin's carnivaltheory and feminism, and the feasibilities of these combined theories to the textual analysis.Chapter Two explores those carnivalesque features in the novel, mainly carnival time and space, freeand familiar contact as well as marketplace language adopted by those carnival characters, whichcollaboratively help establish a carnivalesque world. In this upside-down world, all rules, standards,traditions and hierarchy are deconstructed. In so doing, Carter has made a good preparation for therealization of her subversive feminist aims, eliminating all those restrictions existing in that patriarchalworld.Chapter Three focuses on the rituals of crowning and decrowning in the novel. The study shows thatCarter's crowning and decrowning of those noble characters as well as classical plots in fairytales andmythologies aim to disclose the fraudulence of those tales, and their intention of instructing females.Meanwhile Carter's rewritings also support the reversal of the hierarchical relationship between men and women in binary oppositions. In addition Carter crowns and de-crowns sacred rituals and religious figuresso as to weaken the holy status of religions in binary oppositions. In the process of crowning animals andde-crowning humans in Nights at the Circus, Carter subverts another important binary opposition betweenhuman and animal. Through crowning and decrowning, binary oppositions, the mainstay of hierarchy, areall deconstructed with the hierarchical authority challenged as well.Chapter Four discusses how Carter uses the grotesque female bodies and carnival laughter to realizeher feminist aims. This chapter also concerns with Carter's searching for other possible ways to realize herfeminist goals in the carnival world. She tries to use Lesbianism and a female Utopia to enable women toliberate from the oppressed positions, however these attempts turn in failure for they totally ignore thefunctions of the male, eventually Carter finds out that the reconstructed heterosexual love can be a goodsolution for both the two sexes to live a free and harmonious life.To conclude, Nights at the Circus as a typical carnivalized novel has established a carnivalesque world.The ultimate aims of this subversive feminist carnival are to criticize women's oppressive gender rolesimposed by the male-dominated society, to encourage them to fight for their liberation and freedom, and tocall for a new harmonious heterosexual relationship in the society.