The Androgynous Vision In Doris Lessing’s The Summer Before The Dark

A Nobel Laureate in Literature,contemporary British female author Doris Lessing has received widespread attentions for her rich life experiences and the breadth and depth of her creative themes.Her works deal with social issues such as racial discrimination,female identity,gender relations and the crisis of human existence.The Summer Before the Dark tells the story of Kate,a middle-aged housewife who goes on a spiritual journey of self-discovery and ultimately survives a latent crisis by achieving inner balance and personal integrity.Through portraying vivid male and female images,Lessing explores inner contradictions of individuals and the increasing alienation of individuals from others and the outside world.Androgyny,as an ideal state for individuals,offers the possibility of achieving harmony in these relationships.This thesis analyzes Doris Lessing’s androgynous vision presented in the novel The Summer Before the Dark from the perspective of androgyny.By studying spiritual dilemma of different individuals and their pursuit for freedom,the importance of gender balance and harmony between individuals and the world,it further explores Lessing’s valuable suggestions for individual liberation and social survival.The first three chapters provide a brief introduction to the author and the novel,studies at home and aboard on The Summer Before the Dark,the theoretical foundation and the issues to be addressed.The fourth chapter,the main part,explores from three perspectives: the individual,gender relations and the relationship between human beings and the world.Individuals hide their true self from norms of traditional gender roles,and contradictions between social demands and spiritual freedom create a fragmentation in their psychological states.Through the analysis of masculinity embedded in the three female characters,Kate,Mary and Maureen,and the potential crises due to the lack of femininity faced by the male characters,Jeffrey and Philip,it testifies to the importance of an androgynous and harmonious personality.At the same time,a stereotypical and incomplete mindset of an individual does not allow him or her to develop understanding and tolerance for others,and finally falls into the egocentrism,which affects the formation of harmonious interpersonal relationships.Kate and her husband Michael’s mutual understandings and supports for each other help Kate to eventually overcome her mental difficulties.Maureen and Philip,on the other hand,both have incomplete personalities that prevent them from living together harmoniously.Human selfishness and arrogance eventually lead to hypocrisy and alienation in interpersonal relationships,uncontrolled demand for and destruction of natural resources,and indifference to social crises.Therefore,only when individuals know themselves correctly and objectively,and respect others and the environment they depend on from the bottom of their hearts,can man and the world achieve harmonious coexistence.The harmonious relationship between people and the world also relies on individual recognition of self and respect for others.Chapter Five concludes the novel with a summary of Lessing’s view of androgyny and clarifies its implications for the modern society.Through the literary creation,Lessing presents her androgynous vision in the hope that individuals could break through their prejudices and narrow-mindedness,be brave and true to themselves,and treat others and the environment around them with sincerity.She suggests the importance of building communication and cooperation,interdependence and harmonious relationships between men and women.With regard to the relationship between people and the world,only individuals with an open mind and a tolerant heart could truly take up their responsibilities towards the society and contribute their own strengths.