浅析《德伯家的苔丝》与《嘉莉妹妹》中女性主义

PAGEIII浅析《德伯家的苔丝》与《嘉莉妹妹》中女性主义AbstractThisthesiscomparesandanalyzesSisterCarrieandTessoftheD'Urbervillesfromtheperspectiveoffeminism.Althoughthetwonovelswerewrittenbydifferentauthors,theyallreflectedthesocialstatusofwomenatthattimeandthereasonsfortheirtragedies.Feminismisakindofsocialtheoryandpoliticalmovementdrivenbywomenexperience.SisterCarrieisthefirstnovelofTheodoreHermannAlbertDreiser.Dreiser’sworksarerichinsocialityanddemonstratetheAmericanrealism.Theheroineofthenovel,Carrie,hasalwaysbeenacontroversialfigure.Inthenovel,CarriewenttoChicagotoseekhappinessinpursuitofalifeofhighquality.SisterCarrierepresentstheoppositeoftraditionalwomen.Women’sautonomydependsonthereshapingofwomen’sdesires.Everyonehastherighttohaveadream.Theheroine’spursuitofhighqualitylifeinthenovelisnodoubtherrootsforindependence.Infaceofadifficultlife,shedidnotchoosetogiveupandfallforherself,butinsteadworkedharder,whichfullyreflectsCarrie’spursuitoffeminism.TessoftheD'UrbervilleswascreatedbytheBritishwriterHardyattheendofthe19thcentury.ThenoveltellsabouttherebellionoftheheroineTessinpursuitofherhappinessandsocialmorality,ethics,andreligion.ItwascontroversialbecausethenovelviolatedtheVictorianmorality.Mostcommentatorscriticizedit.Overtheyears,scholarshavenotreducedthestudyofthisnovel.InthenovelTessmadethefinalrevoltandliftedthebreadknifetokillAggreko.Althoughthisrebellionwaspaidatthepriceoflife,sheandClarefinallyenjoyedthehappinesstheyhaddreamedofforafewdays.TheseriesofsacrificesmadebyTessundoubtedlyprovedherfeministimage.ThepaperintendstocompareTessandCarrietoanalyzesomeofthereasonsfortheirtragedies,andrevealtheenlightenmentsfromfeminism.Thefirstchapterofthethesisistheintroductionofthedefinitionanddevelopmentoffeminism,andthenintroducesthecreationbackgroundofthetwonovels.Thesecondchapterisanoverviewoftheauthorandtheworks.Thethirdchaptermainlyintroducestheembodimentoffeminismintwonovels.Thefourthchapterisacontrastiveanalysisofthetwonovelsfromtheperspectiveoffeminism.Keywords:Feminism;Patriarchy;Tess;Carrie;Tragedy摘要本文从女性主义视角对比分析《嘉莉妹妹》与《德伯家的苔丝》。两部小说虽然由不同的作者编写，但是都表现了当时女性的社会地位及其形成悲剧的原因。《嘉莉妹妹》是西奥多·赫尔曼·艾伯特·德莱塞的第一部小说。德莱塞的作品具有丰富的社会性，显示着美国的现实主义。小说的主人公嘉莉妹妹一直是一个颇受争议的形象。小说中的女主人公嘉莉为追求高品质的生活，离开小镇去到芝加哥寻求幸福。嘉莉妹妹代表着传统女性截然相反的一面，女性的自主权利取决于对女性欲望的重塑。小说中女主人公所体现出对高品质生活的追求,无疑是她不畏艰辛，寻求独立的根源。面对生活的不易，她没有选择放弃和自甘堕落，而是更加地努力。这充分地体现了嘉莉当时所追求的女性主义。《德伯家的苔丝》由英国作家哈代创作于19世纪末，该小说讲述了女主人公苔丝为了追求自己的幸福与社会、道德伦理及宗教等观念进行反抗。因小说违背当时维多利亚时期的道德观倍受争议，多数评论家对其进行抨击。多年过去，学者对此小说的研究并没有减少。小说中女主人公苔丝为追求自己的幸福，做出了最后的反抗，举起面包刀杀死了亚力克。而此次反抗尽管付出了生命的代价，但最后她和克莱尔享受了几天他们梦寐以求的快乐。苔丝所作出的一系列牺牲无疑证明了她所代表的女性主义形象。本文试图从女性主义视角剖析两部作品及小说女主人公悲剧产生的必然原因。论文第一章是导入部分，介绍出女性主义的内涵与发展，然后介绍两部小说的创作背景；第二章是对作者及作品的概述及分析；第三章主要介绍女性主义在两部小说中的体现；第四章从女性主义视角对两部小说中的女主人公进行对比分析，并通过对比深入分析和探讨女性主义的一些有益启示。关键词：女性主义；父权制；苔丝；嘉莉妹妹；悲剧-PAGE7-Content21399_WPSOffice_Level1Introduction 1ChapterOne31097_WPSOffice_Level1LiteratureReview 325066_WPSOffice_Level11.1ABriefIntroductionofAuthors 312760_WPSOffice_Level21.1.1HardyandHisLife 314418_WPSOffice_Level21.1.2DreiserandHisLife 35638_WPSOffice_Level11.2TessoftheD’UrbervillesandSisterCarrie 528080_WPSOffice_Level21.2.1PlotOverviewofTessoftheD’Urbervilles 51999_WPSOffice_Level21.2.2PlotOverviewofSisterCarrie 631097_WPSOffice_Level1ChapterTwoFeminismandItsDevelopment 715307_WPSOffice_Level12.1DefinitionofFeminism 710178_WPSOffice_Level12.2DevelopmentofFeminism 824396_WPSOffice_Level12.3MainContentsandBackground 917991_WPSOffice_Level1ChapterThreeFeminisminTessoftheD’UrbervillesandSisterCarrie 1315527_WPSOffice_Level13.1FeminisminTessoftheD’Urbervilles 1318067_WPSOffice_Level13.2FeminisminSisterCarrie 1418067_WPSOffice_Level13.3CausesoftheTragedyoftheTwoHeroines 1517991_WPSOffice_Level1ChapterFourComparisonofTessoftheD’UrbervillesandSisterCarrie 1810632_WPSOffice_Level14.1Similarities 1822893_WPSOffice_Level14.2Differences 1928327_WPSOffice_Level1Conclusion 2112285_WPSOffice_Level1Bibliography 2322648_WPSOffice_Level1Acknowledgements 25-PAGE1-IntroductionAsafamouscriticalrealisticnovelistandoutstandingpoetofthe20thcentury,HardyhasplayedanimportantroleinthehistoryofEnglishliterature.Ontheonehand,heinheritedthegreattraditionofBritishrealisticliterature,andtookrealityastheprincipleofcreation.Ontheotherhand,helookedbeyondtheeyesofhiscontemporariespaidmoreattentiontotheanxietiesofmodernpeople,anddepictedpeopleandnature,peopleandsociety.Theconflicthasmadeworkscharacteristicofmodernism.Withhiskeenobservationanduniquecreativity,henotonlycreatedmanyvividimagesinhisnovels,butalsodisplayedtheVictoriansocialscenesatthattime,leavingmanyworksforlatergenerations.AllcirclesofthesocietyhaddifferentopinionsonHardy’snovel,butmostofthemthoughtthatTesswasanovelthatviolatessocialmoralityandwasfilledwithpessimisticcolors.Someupper-levelpeopleevenattackedHardymaliciously.Overtime,theworkTessoftheD’Urbervilleshasnotbeensubmergedinthelongriverofliteraryworks.Instead,ithasbecomemoreandmoreimportantandhasbecomeanindisputableclassic.ThefirstnovelSisterCarriepublishedbyDreiserin1900hasbecomeaclassicinthehistoryofliteratureandhasinfluencedthecreationofmanywriters.SisterCarriemainlytalksaboutCarrie,whohadadream.ShecametoChicagoaloneandhopestoworkhardtoleadagoodlifethroughherownefforts.Duetotheunsatisfactorylife,Carriesufferedalotofhardships.Finally,throughherunremittingefforts,shebecamethestarofthegeneralpublic.ThenovelendedwithCarrie’sflyandHusterwood’sdeath.Fromtheendofthe19thcenturytothebeginningofthe20thcentury,capitalismevolvedfromafreedevelopmentstagetoamonopolisticdevelopmentstage.SisterCarrieandTessoftheD'Urbervillesaretwoworkswrittenintheriseofcapitalism.Thetwowritersinvariablychosethebeautifulandpurewomenwhovisitedbigcitiestoseektheirownhappiness,buttheyendedupwithatragedy.Thisthesisattemptstorevealfeminismthroughthecomparisonofthethemesofthetwoworks.Inthecaseoftherapiddevelopmentofthecapitalistmonopolyeconomy,thetraditionalsocialmoralconceptsinBritainandtheUnitedStatesstillimpededpeople’sthinking,especiallyforthelower-levelwomen.Themalepatriarchalsocietyhasnostatusandissqueezed.Theirfateiscompletelyundercontrol.ChapterOneLiteratureReview1.1ABriefIntroductionofAuthors1.1.1HardyandHisLifeThomasHardy’shometownisDorset,inthesouth-westofEngland.Hisfatherwasamason,motherlovedreading,parentswereveryimportanttoHardy'stextofeducation.Inthe1856,Hardyleftschoolandapprenticedtoanarchitectbecauseofhisfamily’sfinancialdifficulties.In1862,hewenttoKing’sCollegeinLondonandwasawardedtheRoyalInstituteofArchitectsAward.In1867returnedduetohealthproblemsbacktohometown,intothecreation.In1867,Hardycompleteshislife’sfirstnovelThePoorandTheLady,butfailedtopublish.Thenexttwonovels,DesperateRemedies(1871)andUndertheGreenwoodTree(1872)werepublishedanonymously.Hardy’sfirstnovel,publishedinhisownname,wasAPairofBlueEyes(1873).InFarfromtheMaddingCrowd,HardywasfirstletthewesternpartofEngland-thebackgroundofthenovelcalledWisaix.WisaixwasonceaSaxonkingcountry’sname.AwayfromtheMaddingCrowdwasagreatsuccess,sincethen,heabandonedtheconstructionprofession,dedicatedtothetextLearntocreate.Overthenext25years,Hardyhascreated10dozennovels,thereturnoftheNative,TheMayorofCasterbridge(1886),TessoftheD’Urbervilles,(1891)andJudetheObscure(1896).1.1.2DreiserandHisLifeCoincidentally,anotherpopularbestselleristhenextonetomentionCarrieSister.ItsauthorTheodoreDreiser(1871-1945)isasmallAmericanmodernsaidtorepresentthewriter,wasrecognizedasoneofthefoundersofAmericannaturalism.BecauseofDreiser’swritingstyleandthecontentofhiswork,heisoneofthemostcontroversialwritersintheAmericanliteraryworld.Dreiserwasbornin1871inaGermanimmigrantfamilyontheoutskirtsofTerreHaute,Indiana.Childhoodsufferingfrompovertyandignorance,thismiseryisbothmaterialandspiritual;it’smentionedintheAutobiographyofDawn.Becauseoftheirownexperienceofpoverty,unemploymentandvariousmisfortunes,sothatanyformofmisfortuneinsociety,Willresonatewithhim.Helivedinthelatestagesofcapitalism'stransitionfromfreecompetitiontomonopoly,whentheUnitedStatesisexperiencingadrasticsocialchange,thesocietyisfullofcompetition,crowdingoutandfighting.Inhisview,thisprimitive,low-levelcompetition,itseemsrevealsthetragedyofAmericansociety.Inthe1895,DreiserlivedinNewYork,ofteninChicago,Louis,andPittsburgcities.Betweencities,thefieldofvisionmoredeeplythanbeforetocontactwiththedifferentaspectsofreallifeatthattime.Seeingthesocialevilsofmurder,kidnapping,robbery,slums,alcoholismandpornography,hefurtherunderstandthattherealityoftheUnitedStatesiscruelandunjust;happinessisonlyafantasyandimpossibleRealization.Theso-calledlife,itsessenceisonlytheprocessofdestruction.InChicago,hewitnessedthedebaucheryandastrongcontrasttotheChichan,whosawhowpovertywasdespisedandhowhypocrisywasunimpeded.Hebelievesthatthesephenomenaareinlinewiththeprevailing“socialevolution”:peopledividedintothestrongandtheweak,thestrongwins,theweaklose.Evenmoretragically,theworldisirrational,thestrongwinandthereisnomeaning,andpeopleregardlessofstrength,onlyachemicalcompositionthat,withthearrangementofmolecules,hasbeenrandomlydrilledandsuspendedforamomentinthevastnessoftheuniverse.DreisertransformedhisuniquefeelingsunderthegreatimpactofAmericaneconomic,socialandideologicalcultureintothepursuitofhumannatureandthefateofthehumbleintheproductaretransformedinto“savage”and“immoral”.In1900,thefirstnovelCarrieSisterpublished,markingthebeginningofthenewhistoryofAmericanliterature.1.2TessoftheD’UrbervillesandSisterCarrie1.2.1PlotOverviewofTessoftheD’UrbervillesTessoftheD’Urbervilleswaspublishedin1891.Thenovel’sownerwasbornintoapoorHawkerfamily.Sheaccidentallykilledtheonlyoldhorseinthehouse,andinordertokeepherfamilyalive,herparentsaskedhertodistantrelativesD’Urberville.Theresultunexpectedlywasthemasteroftheson.Latersheandthepriest'ssonsClaregotloveandengagement.Ontheweddingnight,thekind-heartedTesstoldherhusbandabouthermisfortune,andfailedtogetherhusband’sunderstanding.SothetwopeopleseparatedandClarewenttoBrazil.Afewyearslater,Tessagainmetthesub-thunder,andAlecagainentangledTess,Tesswasforcedtolivewithherfamilyindistress.SoonClarereturnedfromBrazilandbeggedherforgiveness.InthiscaseTesspainfullyfeltAreiDebertomakehersecondlostalovedone,sodesperatetokillit.Atlastshewashanged.“Thiswork,notonlyintheauthor'sowncountry,butalsointheworld,foralongtimeforthevastnumberofreaderslove,fortheattentionofprofessionalresearchersisacourtesytoartistsinthefilmandtheaterworld.Ithasbeenpublishednearlyacentury,wasrecognizedasthebestrepresentativeofHardy’sworks,andwasincludedintheWorldclassicalliteraturecourt.”(ZhangGuo,1984:1)Thebackgroundofthisnovelisthelate19thcentury,whencapitalistmodeofproductioninvadedtheUnitedKingdom.1.2.2PlotOverviewofSisterCarrieThefirstnovelSisterCarrie,whichwaspublishedin1900,wasaclassicinliteraryhistoryandhadagreatinfluenceonthecreationofmanywriters.SisterCarriemainlytellsthecountrygirlwhohasadreamtocometoChicagoalone,hopingtoworkhardtoliveabetterlife.Buttherealityisnotsatisfactory.Afterrepeatedsetbacksinthesearchforwork,Carriedeephunger,disease,unemploymentdespair.Atthistime,onceonthetrainwithherbrieflysalesmanDrouetoherolivebranch.Forcedbyreality,CarriebecamethemistressofDouroue.CarriewasthenmetbyDroue,abarmanager,HurstWood.ThelatterfellinlovewithCarrieatfirstsight,andeventuallycheatedCarrietoabscondwiththepublicfunds,whoeventuallysettledinNewYork.Inthebustlingmetropolis,HearstWoodburiedinit,businessbankruptcy,long-termunemployment,andeventuallydieofsuicide.Carrie'stalentforactingwasinNewYorkandeventuallybecameawell-knownstar.ThehugeidentityandincomegapledCarrieleaveHearstWood.ThenovelendedupwithCarrie’sriseandthedeathofAlex.ChapterTwoFeminismandItsDevelopment2.1DefinitionofFeminismFeminismisakindofsocialtheoryandpoliticalmovementdrivenbywomenExperience.Manyfeministsstresstheanalysisofgenderinequalityandtopicswomen’srightsandinterests.Thegoaloffeminismistoexplorenaturegenderinequality,toexploregenderpolitics,powerrelationsandsexualissues.FeminismfirstcameoutofFrance,whichmentionedthebeliefsandgoalsthatwomenshouldhavethesamerights,powersandopportunitiesasmen".Bythebeginningof20thcentury,womenhadgainedtherighttovoteandbecamemembers.Mainlyatthesametime,thefeministcriticismbegantogrowup,thoughbackinlate18thcentury,calledfortheawakeningofwomeninthe“defenceofwomen’srights”.Womenwereurgedtorejectthepatriarchalassumptionthatwomenwereinferiortomen.Sofeminismwasapoliticalmovementfromthestart,anditdirectlyattackedconcentrationandpatriarchaldespotism.Feminismispoliticaltheoryandpracticestrugglingtoreleaseallwomen:coloredwomen,working-classwomen,poorwomen,disabledlesbians,lesbians,olderwomenandwhite,economicallyprivileged.Therearetwomainfeministschools.OnewasrepresentedbyafeministtheoristinFrance.TheotherisfeministtheoristsinBritainandAmerica.Thedevelopmentoffeminismcanbesummarizedasthreewaves.FeminismasatrendofthoughtwasoriginatedinFrance,wherepeopleexpressedmeaning.Theydemandforwomen’semancipation,andthenpassedontoAnglo-American.Countryandbecomeveryinfluential.InBritainandtheUnitedStates,feminismhadbegunwiththeideaofthe18thcenturyEnlightenment,whowasasocialandsocialactivist.TheintellectualmovementinEuropehaspushedsocietytomodernization.TheywereanEnglishauthor,whowroteprose.Voicewomenprotestagainstgenderinequality.FeminisminthisperiodwasmainlyinBritain.Itplayedabigrole.2.2DevelopmentofFeminismAllinall,thegoaloffeminismistobeequaltoeachotherinsociety.Theworldwillbeabetterplaceformenandwomentolive.Theoriginalproject“studyingwomen”to“Women’sstudies”showedtheprogresswell.Feministcriticismbecametheformerrepresentswomen,whilethelatterseeswomenasobjects.Itisimpossibletodescribetherootsoffeminisminadefiniteorder,becauseofthediversityandpluralismofthesubjectitself.RadicalfeminismandMarxistfeminismsupportmyargumentasmytheory.Thecivilrightsmovementandanti-warmovementoftheUnitedStatesinthe1960s,andtheanti-warmovementofAmerica.TheFrenchstudentmovementcausedthesecondwaveinthesameperiodFeministcriticism.Thefocuswascriticismofthepenisconcentration,justliketheKing.PatriarchaltheorywasthemaincontributionofradicalismFeminism.Sheclaimedthatmalesexualpoweroverwomenisthemostcommon.Theideologyofourcultureconstitutesthemostauthoritativepowerstructureinoursocietysexpolitics.SoMillerinsistsonthat“Thepowercenterthatmustresisttheirculture:malerulearesomeinappropriateviews.Enlightenmentwhenfreedom,egalitarianismandtheidealsofreformspreadmiddle-classwomen,farmersandurbanworkers.Feminismthreeaspects:votingrights,righttoworkandfinancialindependence.Theconceptofgenderequalitybeganintheformofmovementwomen’ssuffrage.Itdoesnotre-evaluatethepositionandroleofwomeninsociety.Socialeconomicsystemwasdeeperandmoresignificant.Intheeveningof19thcentury,somewomenbegantoworkintheprofessionalfield,differenceswithwomen’ssuffrage.Elizabethrepeatedlyaskedcongresstoallowwomentoparticipateinthevoting,iteventuallysucceededintheformofthe19thAmendmentafterencounteringmanyrejections.TheAmericanfeministmovementdatedbacktothe18thcentury.Atthesametime,thesocialsituationofwomenwaschanging.Thebasicrightsaregraduallyacceptedbythegeneralpublic,resultinginlowerbirthrate.Thedevelopmentofhouseholdappliancesavoidsdomesticworkandthedevelopmentofindustrializationforcedthemtoworklikefemale.Generallyspeaking,capablehousewivesandthemotherwererecognizedbyherhusbandandthemassesmadeacontributiontohermom.2.3MainContentsandBackgroundThestudyofhardyinforeigncountrieshasonehundredyearshistory.1894,LionelJohnson’scollectionofessays,Hardy’sarthasopenedtheprologuetothestudyofHardy.Hardy’sresearchmainlyembodiesthefollowingthree.First,theearlystudyofHardy'sthought,suchasHelenGar’sThomasHardy:AdiagramofChinesephilosophy,Harvey·C·Webster’s“ThomasHardy’sArtandthought”.TheotherisonthecollectionofthematerialofThomasHardy’slife;theauthoritativescholarinthisrespectismainlyMichaelMurghet(MichaelMillgate),theHardybiographyof1982andtheHardyGeneration:TheCollectionofLetters(1988)providesawealthofcrediblematerialsforthestudyofHardy'sgeneration.Third,usingthenewtheory,AttemptstointerpretHardyandhiswritingsfromanewperspective,suchasJeffreySelly’s(GeoffreyThurley)thePsychologyofHardy’sNovels:TheNervousandthestatuesque.SisterCarriewascriticizedbycriticsatthebeginningofthepublication,andthecriticismofthenovel.WithH.L.Mencken(1880-1956)thecriticswhorepresenteditadvocatedtheideaoffreedom,hasahighartisticvalue.Anothercomment,representedbylifeandbusinessnewspaper,wasstronglycriticizedSisterCarrie,whobelievesthatitignoresmoralandethicalconstraints,mayleadpeopletothetraditionalmoralstandardsofthebosomSuspicionandevensocialmoraldecay.Inspiteofthecontroversyatthebeginningofthepublication,SisterCarriewasprovedbytimeisaclassic,sosinceitspublication,criticshavenotinterruptedthestudyofSisterCarrie.Sincethe80’s,therehasbeennodeclineintheresearchinterestofHardyinouracademiccircles,exceptmonographs.TheperiodicalshavepublishedvariouspapersonHardy’sresearch,notonlyonthenovels,butalsoonthepoetryResearch.Thestudyofplaysisrelativelyrare.Inthestudyofthenovel,manypapersliketoputseveralnovelstogetherforthewholediscourse,mainlyfocusonfouraspects:thetragedythemeandthetragedyConsciousnessinquiry;femaleInterpretation,artisticandartisticformresearch,andHardy’sreligiousviewandreligiousconsciousness.TessoftheD’Urbervillesisahighproportionofthesubjects,butitsperspectiveisalsoconcentratedintheabovementionedfourAspects.Theanalysisofthecharactersofthenovelisbasedontheresearchofsubject,femaleandreligion.TherearemanywaystocriticizesisterCarrieinChina,feministcriticismisoneofthem.ThiskindofarticlechangestheformerliterarycriticismtotheprotagonistCarrie’sethicsandthemoralbatch,butfromtheangleofhumannatureandwomen’srights,Carrieusesheradvantagestorealizethemateriallifesatisfactionrationality,anditiscalledthecouragetobreakthroughthetraditionalmoralconstraints,boldpursuitofpersonalhappiness,realizeself-worth.Sofar,thewesternfeministmovementhasexperiencedatotalofthreewaves.Thefirstwavegenerallyreferstothewomen’smovementindevelopedcountriesinEuropeandtheUnitedStatesinthesecondhalfof19thcenturyto20thcentury,whosepoliticalobjectivesareprimarilytoachievepoliticalequalityofrightsandaccesstoeducationandemployment.Thesecondwaveoccurredinthe1960s,themostnoticeableofthisstageistheemergenceoffeministresearch,thatis,theemergenceoffeministtheory.Thethirdwaveoccurredinthe20thcentury80to90’s,thiswaveinheritedtheprevioustheory,andopenedupanewfield,thereappearedanewclimaxoffeministmovementandtheoreticalresearch.Feministstudiesonthedifferencesbetweenfemalenatureandmalenaturefromdifferentperspectives,explorestherolesofwomenandthevalueofwomen,andmakesacomprehensiveandin-depthanalysisandcritiqueofthephenomenonofdiscriminationagainstwomenandoppressionofwomen.Especiallyinthe1990s,thedevelopmentoffeministtheoryandthetrendofpluralismadapttotheemergenceofanumberoffeministschools,showingacompatibleandflourishingprosperity.Attheendofninthcentury,thecapitalisteconomydevelopedrapidlyintheearly20thcentury.However,behindtheboomingeconomicdevelopment,societyhasshownthatitonlyaccommodatesthestrong.Thussurvivalwasthegreatestchallengetomankind;survivalwasthehighestgoalofhumanactivities,moralnormsforreallifehasnomeaning.However,thetraditionalmoralconceptstillimprisonedpeople'sminds.Inthecultureofthe19thcentury,theso-calledmoral,mainlyreferredtotheattitudetowardswomen,aswellastherelationshipbetweenmenandwomenattitude,whichwasthecoreissueofmorality.Thisso-calledmoralstandardwasinfactbiasedmale,men'sfaultcouldbeforgiven,becausetheyweremen.Butthisstandardcouldnotbeusedinwomen,becausewomenwerepure,nobleincarnation,couldnotviolatemoralbehavior.Ifwomenlosttheirbodiesandlosetheirvirginity,theymustgetwhattheydeservedandpunishedthemwithdeath.Inthe19thcentury,withtheprocessofAmericanindustrialization,thefieldofmaletalentwasexpanded,whilethewomen'sfieldofactivitybecamecrampedandthefamilybecameafemalecage.Societybelievedthattruewomenshouldbepious,chaste,submissive,housekeepingandreclusive,andimposethisdefinitiononwomen.Thiswasthehypocritical,primVictoriantraditionthatwascalledthe"eleganttradition"intheUnitedStates.CarrieandTesswerepursuingtheirsocialstatusinordertogainrespect,andtheypaidaheavyprice.ChapterThreeFeminisminTessoftheD’UrbervillesandSisterCarrie3.1FeminisminTessoftheD’UrbervillesTess’sfatherwasapoorcountrypeddler,hismotherusedtobemilkingwomen;theyareatthetimeofthewindandraintodestroythelittlepeople,poorworms.Thepovertyofthefamily,thehorrorsofdisplacement,andtheformalhistoricalconditionsofruralpoorworkerswerethereallifeportrayal.Tess,astheeldestdaughterofsuchafamily,afterreceivingsomeofthemostelementaryeducationinthelocalruralprimaryschool,shebegantoworkinthefarm,dairyandfarmlandattheageof55,andshewasanordinaryruralworkingwoman;butasanartisticimage,shealsoembodiesthebeautyofruralgirlstemperament,sheisingenuity,hard-working,simple,kind,strong.Asthewritersaid,“Suchabeautifulpieceoffinemuscle-fat'ismadeofsoftYiMing.”Sheshouldbehealthygrowth,vigorousdevelopment,tothecommunitytodotheirbest,butalsotoobtaintheirduetreatment.Butsheisactuallyfacedwiththeignoranceoftheenvironment,economicpoverty,violentfouling,socialdiscrimination,andtheabandonmentoflovers.Shewasdevastatedbythepersecutionofalltheinvisible,evilforcesinsociety,andeventuallybecameapatheticsacrifice.Thetimelimitisveryshort,fromherhometowncunYedancetoherinthesymbolofthedeathoftheblack,lastingforonlyfiveorsixyears,shortlifeofallkindsoftragicencounters,butenoughthrillingemotionalfeelings.3.2FeminisminSisterCarrieSisterCarriewasthefirstnovelwrittenbyDreiser,publishedin1900,thelastyearofthe19thcentury.AtthattimetheUnitedStateswasinthetransitionfromaproductivesocietytoaconsumption-orientedsociety.Inhisearlynovels,individualismandhedonismwerewidelypublicized.InthebustlingChicagoandinNewYork,thePuritanmoralityofimprisoningpeople’sdesiresseemstohaveceasedtoexist.IntheageofCarrie,somewomeninAmericahasbeeninfluencedbyconsumerismandwerebeginningtochallengetraditionalethicalstandardsandnolongerbelieve“women’sresponsibilitieswerehavingchildren.Instead,theythinktheyshoulddressuppretty,sexy,andhurtthesexlifequickly.Dreisershowedthemaleprotagonisttothewoman,themansion,thepursuitofclothingandartwork.AndCarriewasatypicalembodimentofindividualismandmateriality.Herdesiredidnotappeartobeevil,thoughthisdesiredraggedthehessoutofthecomfortofgoodlifeandeventuallycoldlyabandoned.Dreiser’sCarriewasjustanaffectionate,fanciful,naivefigure,atthelastalsounabletosatisfyandfathomtheirowndesires.Ononehand,Carriehopestoliveonherownandmakeagoodlivingthroughherownefforts.Ontheotherhand,Shewashesitanttoacceptaman’sgift.Carrie’sbonesarepureandupright.Atthebeginning,whenshearrivedinChicago,shewasbraveenoughtoinsistonherown.Sowhenshefoundworkintheshoefactory,thoughshewasmiserable,shestillworkinghard.Shewaslaidoffuntilshewassick.Carriewaspenniless,andsheborrowedadimefromMiniforthelunchmoney.Shekeptgoingtolookingforajob;itshowsthatshewasinsistingonherowneffortstoearnaliving.Whenthepersonwassickandhungryandthedesperationofunemployment,thehelpofothersseemsparticularlyprecious,althoughitturnedouttobeastrongpersonalgoal.Afterfame,Carriehadagreatsalaryand