Feminist Study Of The Three Female Characters In The Thorn Birds

The Thorn Birds by the Australian writer Colleen McCullough receivesimmediate success among the readers worldwide since its publication in1977. Itsevident religious and feminist elements have attracted the attention of academic study.The previous study of the work varies from the Bible prototype, inter-textualitybetween the Bible and the novel, comparative study with some other works fromfeminist perspective, and eco-criticism. This thesis will apply feminist theory,especially from the radical feminist perspective, on the study of the three main femalecharacters.This thesis has briefly introduced the literature review on the novel and theauthor as well. It mainly discusses the novel from the perspectives of religion,economic relations, class status and sexuality. Radical feminist holds the view thatwoman enjoys a subordinate status in Christianity and there is no female image ofGod either. Religion is one of the most fundamental factors for woman s oppression.It has also analyzed the economic relations and class status between men and womenin patriarchal society. The male domination in economic relations and superiority inclass status importantly account for female submission and inferiority. The thesis hasadopted the radical feminist view on sexuality as well, which is for the first time thatthe most private sphere of life has been discussed in political terms. The inequality insexuality is regarded as the root cause for all the female subjection.The thesis has made a tentative study of radical feminist theory and applied itsmain arguments to the analysis of the three female characters. It provides a new wayof studying the novel from religious, economic, class and sexual perspectives so as tohelp achieve a further understanding of the text, especially the development of thefeminist awareness within the three generations and their fight for equality.