An Analysis On The Main Characters In Middlemarch From The Perspective Of Androgyny

George Eliot, one of the most prestigious British writers in the 19 th century, is good at describing realism and psychology in her novels. She creates a lot of works in her life. Among them the Middlemarch is considered as her most representative and mature work. Since its publication, the novel has aroused wide concern in the academic circle at home and abroad. Critics and Scholars have interpreted it from various perspectives, such as psychoanalysis, feminism, structuralism, Marxist criticism and so on.The thesis analyzes the main characters in Middlemarch from the perspective of androgyny, explores how the writer subverts the traditional gender pattern effectively and constructs the perfect androgynous characters by describing confrontation and harmony between women and men in marriage.This thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter one makes a brief introduction to George Eliot’s life and her work Middlemarch, then presents previous academic achievements of Middlemarch at home and abroad and finally puts the emphasis on the definition and development of androgyny. Chapter two analyzes the male and female characters in the novel, explores potential crisis of traditional masculinity by examples of Casaubon and Lydgate whose frustrations in all fields and reveals defects and weaknesses of traditional femininity by describing Rosamond’s devastating negative influence on men. Chapter three reflects Eliot’s efforts to construct androgynous male by the examples of Sir James and Ladislaw. Chapter four shows Eliot’s efforts to construct new ideal female pattern by the examples of Dorothea and Mary who seek quality and harmony. Eliot’s new pattern of femininity and masculinity breaks up the traditional gender binary opposition, points out that man and woman should respond more freely to their own instinct in nature, construct a harmonious personality beyond binary opposition. Chapter five comes to the conclusion and points out the significance of research. Only when both men and women regain a healthy harmonious development of individual character, can they establish the harmonious relationship each other. Both genders should understand, complement and promote each other. Only in this way can we truly realize equality, achieve gender harmony and further create a harmonious human society.