A Paradigm Of Female Body Writing

The Queen’s Gambit is a Netflix limited series adapted from American novelist Walter Tevis’ s 1983 work of the same name.It has jumped to No.1 on Netflix since its release in October 2020 and became one of Netflix’s most popular original shows.The series focuses on Beth Harmon’s journey of growth and fame as she shows amazing talent in the male-dominated world of competitive chess and becomes an accomplished chess player.The TV series deserves to be noticed as one of the important cultural mediums.By analyzing from the perspective of Helene Cixous’ s female body writing theory,this thesis aims at proving that The Queen’s Gambit is a paradigm of female body writing by arguing it challenges conventional notions of femininity,subverts patriarchal norms and resists dominant patriarchal narratives.Helene Cixous’ s works are characterized by her focus on the body,particularly the female body,as a site of resistance and transformation.Female body writing refers to the use of women’s bodies and experiences as a source of expression and identity.She argues that women’s writing has been historically oppressed and marginalized.Women need to reclaim their bodies and voices and embrace the power of the female body to subvert patriarchal norms and be free from the constraints of male-dominated language and structures.In addition to introduction and conclusion,the main body of this thesis is divided into three chapters.The first chapter mainly discusses how the play portrays the female body as a complex and multifaceted entity that challenges traditional notions of femininity by exploring Beth’s relationship with her own body and exploring femininity beyond traditional gender rules.The second chapter mainly analyzes how Beth Harmon succeeds in a male-dominated field and Beth’s relationship with the male characters in the play,demonstrating the show breaks the restriction of the patriarchal system on women and subverts patriarchal norms.The third chapter focuses on the show presents the story from the female perspective and a united female relationship,resisting the mainstream patriarchal narrative.