On Women’s Liberation-an Analysis Of "the Hours" From The Perspective Of Beauvoir’s Theory Of Existential Feminism

In the patriarchal system, woman is not the subject, she only exists as the otherwho doesn’t have transcendence and creativity. It is the culture and the socialregulations set up by the patriarchal society that result in the inferiority of woman toman. Simone de Beauvoir believes that woman will become ‘‘the Subject’’ of societyand gain woman’s liberation only when she resolves the conflict between“transcendence and immanence” and has her independent existence. The theory ofexistential feminism is one of the most famous representative theories of feminismand is an important school during the first climax of feminist movements whichderives from the school of thought of Simone de Beauvoir.This thesis intends to analyze the film The Hours from the perspective ofBeauvoir’s theory of existential feminism and argues that women gain theirself-liberation in this film by gaining awareness of subject consciousness, resistingpatriarchy and pursuing for their freedom. This angle of analyzing this film has neverbeen covered before. The themes of the film coincide with the elements of existentialfeminism. Therefore, the significance of this thesis is to broaden this film’sdimensions for study and provide useful materials for the further study of the film TheHours from this new perspective, and it will be instructive for the viewers inpondering the outlet of women’s liberation in modern society.The main body of the thesis consists of three parts. The first chapter willelaborate how the three women gain their subject consciousness through the analysisof their gradual awareness of their miserable living situation and the awareness of theright to make free choices. This second chapter aims to analyze that the three womenresist patriarchal society by struggling for economic independence and emotionalindependence by themselves. In the third chapter, the writer will concentrates on thefinal choices the three women make and deeply analyzes their efforts to gain theauthentic freedom.