On The Male-female Relationship In Winesburg,Ohio From The Female Perspective

Sherwood Anderson is a well-known American writer of the20th century. Published in1919, Winesburg, Ohio is his masterpiece. This book is composed of twenty-five intrinsically linked stories. It depicts the life of the grotesques living in Winesburg, Ohio. Eight stories directly take women as the protagonists and the male protagonists in the remaining stories are always closely related to the female characters. The author portrays many unforgettable female grotesques and his lively description touches the readers greatly. Filled with sympathy, Anderson expounds profoundly the unbearable pain and setbacks that these women meet with. Concerned with the situation of women in the patriarchal society, he advocates the equal relationship between men and women, which is a rare case among the contemporary male writers.This thesis is a study of the male-female relationship in Winesburg, Ohio from the female perspective based on textual analysis. It argues the significance of women’s androgynous temperament to the establishment of harmonious relationship between men and women. Because women are neglected and denied in the patriarchal society, they are alienated from the outside world. Long-term oppression turns them into grotesques. They fantasize about building a reciprocal relationship with men, but the reality just crushes their dream. The male-female relationship sometimes reveals hope and vitality in Winesburg, Ohio. Women’s charm is recognized and their distinctive femininity is cherished by some men. Some women are courageous and self-motivated, trying to prove their uniqueness in a brand-new stance. Several women’s enlightening influence on the principal character George Willard in diverse aspects is a good example of the reciprocal male-female relationship. Women are fettered by the rigid gender role of the male-dominated society which requires them to be weak, dependent and docile. Therefore, their androgynous temperament is repressed. Women are not allowed to have the qualities of boldness and enterprising action defined as "masculine". In fact, they should be able to demonstrate the positive masculine traits in them even it means counteracting conventional gender descriptions. Thus the mutual understanding and respect can be generated and the genuine communication between men and women can be achieved. As the drunkard in "Tandy" proclaims, the future woman with androgynous temperament will bring about the future ideal male-female relationship.