Dissertation > Excellent graduate degree dissertation topics show

An Ecofeminist Study of the Handmaid’s Tale

Author: YaoZuoZuo
Tutor: XunYang
School: Qufu Normal University
Course: English Language and Literature
Keywords: ecofeminism the plight of women ecological crisis
CLC: I711.074
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2012
Downloads: 50
Quote: 1
Read: Download Dissertation

Abstract


Margaret Atwood (1939-) is one of the most distinguished Canadian writers and she buildsan international reputation at home and abroad. Atwood is well known both for the quantity andquality of her writing in which the most outstanding achievement is the part of novels, so she iscalled as the queen of Canadian literature. Facing the ecological crisis, Atwood reconsiders therelationship between humans and nature, especially the relationship between men and women.Atwood’ works, full of ecological awareness and feminist concerns, describe the oppression ofwomen and nature and reveal ecofeminist ideas.The thesis focuses on feminist concerns and ecological crisis from the perspective ofecofeminism. Ecofeminism, presented at the first time by French writer Francoise d’Edubonne,is the production of feminist movement and ecological movement and it criticizes the patriarchalideology that human is superior to nature and a man is superior to a woman. Meanwhile, itstresses on the affinity between nature and women under the domination of men. The thesisdescribes the condition that the feminist awareness of Handmaids who get oppression from thosedominant men-Commanders in Gilead, begins to wake up and they bravely challenge men’sauthority under the Commanders’ violent rule; the Commanders’ devastating exploitation tonature causes nature’s crazy revenge on men; the intimate relationship between nature andwomen makes them close to each other under men’s domination. Meanwhile, it appeals thathumans should found a harmonious relationship between men and nature and between men andwomen.The thesis contains the following parts:Chapter One is an introduction. It includes the background of the thesis, Margaret Atwoodand her main works, the significance of the thesis and the organization of the thesis.Chapter Two includes literature review and theoretical basis. First it gives literature viewabout the novel. Then it’s about the theoretical basis-ecofeminism, which includes the main ideaabout the ecofeminism and the formation of Atwood’s ecofeminist awareness.Chapter Three analyzes the opposition between Commanders in Gilead and Handmaids. Itconsists of two parts. The first part displays victimized Handmaids and the second partintroduces the awakening of Handmaids’ ecofeminist consciousness, which divides into the overtrevolt of Handmaids and the covert revolt of common Handmaids.Chapter Four analyzes the opposition between the dominant men in Gilead and nature. Itconsists of two parts. The first part displays nature’s victimized position, which is analyzed frommen’s dominance over nature and the natural disaster of technology. The second part is aboutnature’s revenge which gives human fertile crisis, social crisis and spiritual crisis.Chapter Five analyzes the harmony between nature and women. It consists of two parts. The first part is about the intimacy between nature and Handmaids and the second part introduces thesocial position of nature and women as others in the patriarchal society.The last part is conclusion where the thesis is summarized and points out Atwood’s wishes.Margaret Atwood describes a future world where women and nature suffer men’s crueldominance in order to remind humans to cherish nature, respect women and found a harmonioussociety.

Related Dissertations

  1. Encounter the Utopia : Ecological Marxism Difficult Position and Possible Outlet,X2
  2. The Research of Vandana Shiva’s Development Ethics,B82-0
  3. William Rice ecological critical theory interpreted,X2
  4. Alice Walker’s Ecofeminist Consciousness in the Color Purple,I712.074
  5. Steinbeck ecofeminism Thought,I712.074
  6. The Golden Notebook and Mara and Dann: an Adventure from the Perspective of Ecofeminism,I561.074
  7. Gorz 's \,A811
  8. An Ecofeminist Analysis of Tony Morrison’s Beloved,I712.074
  9. An Ecofeminist Interpretation of D. H. Lawrence’s Novels,I561.074
  10. An Ecofeminist Reading of Eustacia’s Tragedy in the Return of the Native,I561
  11. Survival Whole,I712
  12. An Eco-feminist Interpretation of A Mercy by Tony Morrison,I712
  13. An Ecofeminist Reading of the Sound and the Fury,I712
  14. In Pursuit of the Harmonious World,I712
  15. An Ecofeminist Reading on Toni Morrison’s Sula,I712
  16. A Spiritual Ecology Analysis of Long Day’s Journey into Night,I712
  17. Looking for the Ideal Home,I712
  18. Comment on Christian Doctrine of the Ecological Thought,B978
  19. From patriarchy to the harmonious future,I712
  20. An Ecofeminist Reading of Black Women’s Fate in Toni Morrison’s Beloved,I712.074
  21. On Doris Lessing’s Consciousness of Ecofeminism,I561

CLC: >
© 2012 www.DissertationTopic.Net  Mobile