A Study Of Mariam’s Tragic Fate From The Perspective Of Feminism

Khaled Hosseini, a famous Afghan American novelist who was born in Kabul in 1965. Because of the influence of his two novels The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, he obtained humanitarian award which was issued by the United Nations in 2006, and was invited to serve as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.Basing on the concept of patriarchy, the thesis aims to interpret Mariam’s tragic fate from the perspective of feminism. The thesis reveals how the father and husband oppress and maltreat Mariam, how her female consciousness is aroused by Laila and how she begins to resist.This thesis is divided into six parts. The introduction focus on the author, the contents of A Thousand Splendid Suns and the statement of literature review. The first chapter briefly introduces the definition, the development and the concept of patriarchy. The second chapter is the beginning of the main part, it mainly analyzes that the origin of Mariam’s tragic fate is the oppression from the patriarchal system from husband and father. The third chapter mainly interprets the process of Mariam’s female consciousness awakening under the oppression of patriarchy. It includes two sections. The first section discusses that Laila’s coming inspirits Mariam’s female consciousness. The second section shows how the appearance of Laila’s daughter, Aziza stirs up Mariam’s maternal consciousness. The forth chapter points out that resistance is the only way to emancipate from men’s oppression under the patriarchal system. Mariam who is an illegal Hariam since her birth revolts her father and husband in a sorrowful way. Mariam’s death causes her father’s eternal regret. By killing Rasheed and bearing the charges all by herself, she helps Laila to obtain the freedom and happiness. Ultimately, she dies in an identity of a legal person.The conclusion which is the summary of this thesis. On the base of summarizing of the whole thesis and combining the feminist theory, Khaled Hosseini expresses his deep sympathy to the Afghan women by analyzing Mariam’s miserable fate. And the significance of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns can also be explored.