From Ambivalence To Harmony:an Eco-Feminist Interpretation Of Clarissa In Virginia Woolf’s Mrs.Dalloway

Mrs. Dalloway, as the first mature experimental novel by Virginia Woolf, has been studied from various perspectives at home and abroad. And most of them focus on the writing techniques of stream of consciousness, the themes of life and death, and feminist ideologies. However, many late twentieth century scholars find eco-feminism and Mrs. Dalloway are closely related.This thesis aims to explore the relationships between woman and nature, male and female in the novel. In this thesis, the author analyzes the mental development of the protagonist from ambivalence to harmony with a reflection from the perspective of eco-feminist theory.This thesis is composed of five parts. The introduction offers an overview of Virginia Woolf and her criticism with a focus on the studies of Mrs. Dalloway and a brief introduction of the theoretical framework of the thesis. In the first chapter, the author proves the affinity in nature and woman and the connection between nature and the protagonist Clarissa. The second chapter elaborates on the root of Clarissa’s ambivalence----the patriarchal society, and its influence in marriage, friendship and independent self. And the third chapter deals with the yearnings of constructing harmony by Clarissa in three respects, indulgence in nostalgia, restoration of belief in Goddesses, and having the party. Finally, the thesis arrives at its conclusion.In conclusion, the thesis points out that Woolf’s presentation and characterization of Clarissa and her world reflect the humanists’ pursuit of equality and harmony, which, in turn, provides us a broader space for later analysis of Woolf and her other classic works.