| Gone with the Wind is written by Margaret Mitchell, which almost took her ten years to get published. This long romantic novel appeals to public with its charm on presenting the protagonist’s journey and adversities in life. The publication of this novel attracted great attention in the United States. And later it was translated into many other foreign languages to ship abroad. Since its publication in1936, this best-selling book received unprecedented attention from many scholars with mixed reviews and receptions.As a special branch of feminism, ecofeminism appeals for an end to all forms of oppression, objects to the oppression or domination of female and nature in Patriarchy and dualistic outlook, criticizes the excessive desire for materials, and proposes to establish a harmonious and sustainable relationship in nature and human beings. Taking ecofeminism as its theoretical framework, this thesis analyzes different forms of patriarchal oppression and the process of dismantling this patriarchal oppression, expounding on ecofeminist connotations in the story of Gone with the Wind.Margaret Mitchell expresses her ecofeminist thoughts and concern in her novel with the description of different viewpoints on war and old tradition. Scarlett, the protagonist in the novel, was a rich, selfish and willful young lady living in the Southern manor, who fulfilled the image of female warriors and female pioneers under the baptism of war, poverty and hunger. She completely shifted her beliefs taught by Ellen generating a brand new set of values and world outlook. Other people described in this remarkable novel struggle at the edge of moral and desire, some of them drifting with the tide of transformation, some being totally at a loss, which is still common in modern society. Hence, the rereading and reinterpretation of this novel has been given the significance and reflection in a new relationship between human beings and nonhuman creature.In addition to the protagonist’s odyssey, Margaret Mitchell poured much energy into describing nature and environment on which Southern people’s lives depended and minds rested, especially the indissoluble bonds between Scarlett and Tara. The illustration of nature and female shows a key to harmonious relationship between human and wild nature and embodies Mitchell’s deep concern about their fate and future. The novel was written under the background of Great Depression, when Americans were losing faith and facing despair. Scarlett’s spirit aroused people’s potential in handling adversities and hardships. Moreover, the world described in the novel is not men’s hunting field. It presents various kinds of women in different social and marital status, who act as key impetus to the development of the story. Noting that the value of women and nature should not be overlooked, this thesis argues people should follow the inherent biorhythm of nature and respect women’s contributions in order to avoid being entrapped with the misrecognition of patriarchy.In addition to an introduction and a conclusion, this thesis comprises three chapters. The introduction is about the motivation of this thesis, an introduction to Margaret Mitchell and her Gone with the Wind, and a summary of the preceding studies on it. Chapter1introduces the development of ecofeminism and ecofeminist literary criticism. Chapter2discusses the forms of patriarchal oppression in Gone with the Wind by criticizing patriarchal virtues and values, attacking its oppression on children, animals and soil, revealing the reason for the shriveling of people’s spirit. Chapter3probes into the text about the dismantling of patriarchal oppression, and exposes the truth of life Scarlett finds on the way to materialism and the eco-spiritual theme of strength source Scarlett receives from the earth. Conclusion summarizes the central points of this thesis and suggests Gone with the Wind is one of the classical novels which still have much room for us to explore in ecofeminism. |
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