Differences and Similarities in Lawrence and Zhang Ailing’s Views on Female

冉一鸣

【Abstract】D.H.Lawrence and Zhang Ailing both pay great attention to female in their novel writing. This thesis focus on the comparative study of their views on female. Through comparing their views, the author find the similarities and differences in them.

【Key words】D.H.Lawrence, Zhang Ailing, view on female, similarities, differences

1.Introduction

D.H.Lawrence is one of the greatest and most controversial writer in England in the 20th century. He always deals with the relationship between men and women in his work, and expresses his view on female.Zhang Ailing is a legendary woman writer in modern Chinese literature. By depicting the selfishness, abjection, indifference, hypocrisy, distortion, and abnormality of human nature, the falseness of love, and the cruelty and weakness of life, she expresses her view on female, which is different from other women writers of her period. Recent years many Western and Chinese scholars have done a lot of researches on Lawrence and Zhang Ailing respectively, but seldom put them together to study their views on female. By studying comparatively, The author found that although Lawrence and Zhang Ailing have different nationalities, belong to different races, and live in different period, they have very similar personal experiences, including family, social background and marriage, which makes it possible to study them together.

Generally speaking, Lawrences view on female can be divided into two periods. In the earlier period, he thinks that female is the most seriously suppressed one by civilization system. Female becomes the real and symbolic power of civilization, suppressing the natural instinct of life. Females need to have their independent spiritual selves. In the later period, due to the influence of Aristotle and Rousseau, Lawrences view on female is dominated bu his consciousness of male superiority. Zhang Ailings view on female is pessimistic. She thinks that female has been gradually materialized and even brutalized; there is servility in females bones, being ready and willing to depend on male as a slave; and female should seek for a smooth and steady life.

2.Differences between Lawrence and Zhang Ailings Views on Female

Through analysis of Lawrence and Zhang Ailings view on female, we can see that there are some differences between their views.

Firstly, the most obvious difference is that Zhang Ailings view on female is consistent, but Lawrences view on female is changing, even somewhat contradictory. Before the First World War, Lawrence saw that females social position was very low, so he thought that female was suppressed seriously by civilization, having no independent spiritual self, and female should pursue self-liberation and free life, like the male. But after the war, Lawrences view changed. After the First World War, women had the right to vote, and womens social and political power was strengthened day by day. Lawrence felt mens position was threatened, and he was afraid of this, so his view on female changed. He thought that female should be dependent on male, females natural value was being the mother and the wife, and females true happiness was finding an ideal male.

Secondly, Zhang Ailings view on female refuses the simple opposition between the female and the male—she put females tragic situation under the background of the bleak existence of human, involving the probe of human nature, or tradition and modern—she denies the simple evolution of human; and refuses to deify and uglify female—the female images in her novels are not perfect, and she removes the holy halo on the “maternal instinct”;but she pays close attention to some ordinary women, and shows her understanding and sympathy for them, cause she thinks that what they seek for are just the worldly interests..

Thirdly, Zhang Ailings view on female is timeworn and pessimistic, but Lawrences view on female, at least of his earlier period, is advanced and optimistic. Zhang Ailing thinks female can not gain independence in economy and personality. No matter how female struggles and resists the ending is the same: either a tragedy, or submission—being males dependency at last. So Zhang Ailing approves of female seeking for a smooth and steady life. But Lawrence, in his earlier period, thinks that female should struggle to gain the independence and freedom, and he encourages female to struggle.

3.Similarities in Lawrence and Zhang Ailings Views on Female

Firstly, both Lawrence and Zhang Ailing think that female is female.

Lawrence in his later period thinks that female should have females manners and position. Females role is arranged by the nature. Female should maintain their characteristics, such as tenderness, obedience, and endurance. Female can only be saved by male, having rebirth. Males approval is the insurance of females value.

Zhang Ailing thinks that in every cultural stage, females use their bodies to please male and get married for making a living. The choice of their lives is only to be the dependency of males, and their success and failure are decided by the status of the males whom they depend on. The goal of their lives is to find a man to give them a smooth and steady life.

Secondly, both Lawrence and Zhang Ailing think that there is a kind of servility in females bones.

Lawrence thinks that female is seriously suppressed by civilization, especially the male-centered culture, female becomes a slave in the bones.Zhang Ailing thinks that females tragedy is inward. That is to say, female has servility in the bones. Females herself is willing and ready to be the slave of the male. Female images in Zhang Ailings fictions, although their families, education, background and life experiences are different, their souls are deeply soaked in the slave consciousness. They all live in the traditional dark jail of heart.

Thirdly, Lawrence and Zhang Ailing think that in the patriarchal society, because of the infusion of patriarchal culture, female has been alienated

Lawrence thinks that in the patriarchal society, in order to gain the right of doing things of their own accord, female conflict with male and fight against male, even at the cost of alienation. Female has become the alienated female—having more males characteristics than the male.

Zhang Ailing thinks in the patriarchal society, female has been gradually materialized and even animalized. In Zhang Ailings opinion, female is materialized, when the degree of females reification has been deepened, female is animalized. At that time, female changes from the injured to the persecutor, becoming the males accomplice.

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