Study On Body And Female Subjectivity In The Passion Of New Eve

Angela Carter(1940-1992),who was rated as one of the 50 greatest British writers of the 20 th century,was a maverick feminist writer whose works were devoted to exploring woman’s problems and forming a unique view of body and subject.The Passion of New Eve is one of her masterpieces.The Passion of New Eve is not only a magical realism novel,but also a dystopian female narrative.It tells a magical experience about the ruthless alpha male Evelyn,who came to the United States because he was obsessed with Hollywood star Tristessa,but accidentally transgendered into New Eve by Mother in Beulah.Through the change and feeling of her body,she finally established the female identity and subjectivity.This paper uses the body theory and the theory of female subjectivity to analyze the different "bodies" presented in The Passion of New Eve and the cultural significance of the process of physical and mental change of New Eve,in order to explore the internal relationship between Angela Carter’s body conception and subjective construction,and further explore Carter’s body conception,female view,gender relationship and androgyny ideal.This paper consists of six chapters.The first chapter introduces the research background,research status at home and abroad,as well as the purpose,significance and innovation of the research.The second chapter introduces the life of Angela Carter and the creation background of The Passion of New Eve,also introduces subjectivity and female subjectivity and Carter’s body conception.The third chapter discusses the study of body,the objectification of the female body under the patriarchal culture from the body presented in the novel,pointing out that whether the body of Tristessa who was stared,the body of Leyla who was abused,or the demonized Mother’s body and the tamed female body in the kingdom of Zero,are all the results of the logocentric binary opposition.These non-subjective female bodies embody a relationship of power operation,which is the result of patriarchal culture’s construction,regulation and control over women.The fourth chapter introduces the theory of female body related to subjectivity,studies that the transsexual Evelyn(New Eve)has experienced the rejection of the female body,the new body experience and reflection on the relationship between the two sexes after transsexuality,the joyful combination of mind and body with Tristessa.She finally accepts the female body and identity and reconstructs the subject.This chapter points out that Carter’s feminist thought is not the opposition between women and men,but the harmony of androgynyreflected by the fusion of male and female bodies.The fifth chapter focuses on Carter’s view of body subject,and puts Carter’s view of body subject and women’s thought under Marx’s view of women and probes into the practical significance of Carter’s view of body subject in The Passion of New Eve,desire is not the only pursuit,the overall development of human beings also needs spiritual strength —— love and all aspects of development,and hope to bring some beneficial enlightenment for the development of female personality and the handling of gender relations in our country.The last chapter is the conclusion which summarizes the entire thesis.