- 學位論文
自由的迷思: 鍾芭·拉希莉短篇小說中的西方女性主義與女性的身份
The Myth of Freedom: Western Feminism and Female Identity in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Short Stories
摘要
女性主義是一項重要的人權運動，旨在賦予婦女權力並實現性別平等。 作為源於西方的運動，女性主義已經通過不同的“浪潮”演變，探討了不同層面的不平等。 本研究將探討西方女性主義如何在賦予婦女權力的同時，也無意中為她們帶來新的束縛，使她們在沒有支援系統的情況下，增加了更多負擔。通過鍾芭·拉希莉（Jhumpa Lahiri）的短篇小說作品〈森太太〉（Mrs. Sen’s）和〈醫生的翻譯員〉（Interpreter of Maladies）為視角，此研究將深入探討自由、性別角色和女性主義的複雜性。 本論文將分為四個章節。第一章將介紹西方女性主義、對其批判的聲音、理論框架、研究動機和簡要摘要。第二章探討〈森太太〉故事中艾略特的母親（Eliot’s mother）和森太太（Mrs. Sen）兩位來自不同文化背景的女人所面臨的社會約束，展示了西方女性主義在賦權的同時，無意中導致婦女面臨社會孤立無助的情況。第三章則深入探討〈醫生的翻譯員〉中個人主義社會的局限性，重點在於觀察米娜·達斯（Mina Das）和卡帕西太太（Mrs. Kapasi）等人物，突顯了社會雖然強調言論自由，但婦女的聲音卻常常不被聽見。最後，論文的結論將重新定義自由的含義，旨在為婦女提供更多的選擇。 這項研究挑戰了既定的刻板印象，為西方女性主義的雙重性質提供了新的觀點——即它賦權於婦女又同時限制她們。通過對傳統自由的觀念提出質疑，這項研究旨在為婦女的經歷做出更廣泛的貢獻，願能促進更具包容性和支持性的環境於婦女。
並列摘要
Feminism, a vital human rights movement, seeks to empower women and achieve gender equality. Rooted in the West, feminism has evolved through distinct “waves” as it addresses various dimensions of inequality. This study examines how Western feminism both liberates and inadvertently imposes new constraints on women, burdening them without a support system. Using Jhumpa Lahiri’s short stories, “Interpreter of Maladies” and “Mrs. Sen’s,” this research explores the complexities of freedom, gender roles, and feminism. The thesis has four chapters. The first chapter introduces Western feminism, its critiques, theoretical frameworks, research motives, and a brief summary of the thesis. The second chapter explores societal constraints faced by characters like Eliot’s mother and Mrs. Sen, demonstrating how Western feminism, while empowering, unintentionally leads to social isolation. The third chapter delves into limitations of individualistic societies. By comparing characters like Mina Das and Mrs. Kapasi, it highlights the ways in which the western society’s emphasis on women’s equal right to individual freedom and autonomy actually works to suppress their real needs and silence them. Finally, the thesis concludes by redefining the meaning of freedom, aiming to provide more choices for women. This research challenges established stereotypes by offering new perspectives on the dual nature of Western feminism—both empowering and limiting women. By questioning conventional notions of freedom, the study aspires to contribute to a broader conversation on women’s experiences, fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment beyond fiction’s pages.