弗里曼《母亲的反抗》的女性主义研究摘要玛丽·威尔金斯·弗里曼(Mary Wilkins Freeman,1852-1930)是美国 20 世纪初从事短篇小说创作的女作家。
弗里曼以其对 19 世纪末 20 世纪初新英格兰地区风俗人情独到和切实的刻画而被划定为地方色彩主义作家。
《母亲的反抗》是弗里曼小说集中描述结果最成功的一部作品，主人公萨拉以爱为名，突破以牧师为性别政治意识形态的男权势力，并获得丈夫的理解和认可，超越了“真正女性崇拜”的束缚，赢得抗争胜利，为 19 世纪末的女性抗争提供了新的可能和导向。
本篇论文从女性主义的角度对弗里曼的作品《母亲的反抗》进行深入分析, 通过作者原著，论文首先简要介绍了作家作品和女性主义的定义与发展；紧接着又从四个层次来说明《母亲的反抗》中女主人公萨拉所体现的女性主义意识，即萨拉争夺话语权的尝试、萨拉挑战父权制胜利的萌芽、萨拉战胜父权制获得完全的胜利到两性和谐共处，层层递进。
又从家庭和社会两方面体现出了女性主义的产生、发展与胜利。
最后得出结论，从《母亲的反抗》这篇小说中我们更能了解女性主义思想，提升女性地位，来召唤女性反抗压迫，改变传统的世界观念，鼓励女性在新时代的背景下勇于追求独立的人格，实现自身的社会价值。
关键词：萨拉，女性主义，反抗，女性意识Feminism research of Freeman’s The Revolt of MotherABSTRACTMary Wilkins Freeman (Mary Wilkins Freeman, 1852-1930) is engaged in the short fiction American authoress in the early 20th century.Freeman is designated as local color writer form the late 19th century to early 20th century because of its New England folk customs unique and practical features .”The Revolt of Mother”is on the results of the most successful work in the Freeman’s novels, the leading character Sarah in the name of love, breaks through to the priest for gender political ideology of the patriarchal power, and gets her husband's understanding and recognition, beyond the bondage of "real women worship”, victory in the fight. It offers new possibilities and orientation at the end of the 19th century female resistance.This paper from the Angle of feminism, freeman's works, analyzing " The Revolt of Mother". Through the author’s original work, this paper first briefly introduces the writer works and the definition and development of feminism; Then from the four levels to illustrate feminist consciousness embodied by the heroine Sara of in ”The Revolt of Mother”. Sara’s try for wining power of discourse, Sarah challenges patriarchy victory germination,Sarah defeat patriarchy and achieve victory completely and attain the gender harmony. It is a progressive layers of the process. And from two aspects of the family and society reflect generation、development and victory of feminism. Finally I come to the conclusion that from ”The Revolt of Mother”, we can understand more feminism ideas, improve women's status, to summon female to resist oppression, change the traditional concept of the world, encourage women to pursuit independent personality under the background of new era and realize themselves social value.Key words：Sarah, Feminism, Resistance, Female consciousnessCONTENTS摘要 (Ⅰ)Abstract (Ⅱ)Contents (Ⅲ)Introduction (1)1. The Work and the Writer (2)1.1 Introduction of Mary Wilkins Freeman (2)1.2 Introduction of The revolt of Mother (3)2. Feminism Ideas (4)2.1 Definition of Feminism (4)2.2 Development of Feminism (5)3. Challenge Patriarchy, Try of Sarah Wins Power of Discourse (5)3.1 Sarah Asks Her Husband Housework Repeatedly (5)3.2 Negotiation of Sarah with Her Son (6)3.3 Sarah Complains Her Husband to Her Daughter (7)4. Victory’s Germination of Sarah Challenges Patriarchy (8)4.1 Sarah Asks Her Husband to Discuss (8)4.2 Sarah Demands to Build New Home (8)4.3 Guilt of Husband (9)5. Victory of acquire completely Sarah Challenges Patriarchy (10)5.1 Sarah Commands to Move (10)5.2 Unyieldingness of Sarah to Townsfolk’s Discussion (11)5.3 Counterattack of Sarah to Priest (12)5.4 Compromise of Husband (13)6. Gender Harmony (14)Conclusion (15)BibliographyAcknowledgmentIntroductionMary freeman is one of the outstanding female writer in the history of American literature,from at the end of the 19th century to the early 20th century mainly engaged in the creation of short stories.She always unremittingly attentions to female living conditions at the end of the 19th century, and thinks and explores women that how to obtain social understanding and recognition , as Glasser said "Freeman almost all focus on women struggle and a variety of issues of female, focus on the female pressure of the intricacies and their resistance."This paper according to Freeman live in a specific cultural and historical background in the end of the 19th century , through the interpretation of the story centered in terms of fighting results of the most successful "the revolt of mother", explore the women represented by leading character Sarah under "real women worship", from the blind obey the values to experience self awakening and self affirmation, then in the name of love, regard home as campsite positive resistance, thus eventually beyond the constraints of "real women worship", struggle to get understanding and resistance strategy, and further analyzes its social and historical reasons, focus on the end of the 19th century women fight, in order to reveal Freeman’s women view, and provides a new possibilities and orientation for it.Freeman is engaged in writing of the nineteenth century, when the American patriarchal society to promote "True woman" (the Cult of True Womanhood) period of traditional values.The center of the creed is to the women, especially the middle class white women imprisoned in the family, the female discipline into society rules’"devotion, purity, obedient and the daughter、wife and mother of running home, to preferably serve their fathers、husbands and children. “The Revolt of Mother” narrates such a" real women "qualities of women of New England against the story of Sarah.1.The Work and the Writer1.1 Introduction of Mary Wilkins FreemanMary Wilkins Freeman (October 31, 1852 - March 13, 1930) is an American famous writer in 19th century.She was born in Randolph, Massachusetts, and entered Mount Holyoke Collegeat that located the Massachusetts South Hadley, from 1870 to 1871, for a year. Freeman's parents are orthodox Congregationalist, so she has a very strict childhood. Religion bondage plays a key role in some of her works. Later she completed her studies in Siberia Brattleboro school. She spent most of her life in Massachusetts and Vermont. Freeman began to write stories and poems for children, when she was a child, she began to help to support her family and soon succeeded. As a writer and doctor and senior secretary of Wendell Olivier Holmes, she began to write some powerful new England style poems and novels. At that time the supernatural aroused her interest, the result is a set of combination of domestic realism and the supernatural short stories published. These have proven to be very influential. Her most famous work is written in 1880s or 1890s, when she lived in Randolph. She wrote and published twenty short stories and novels. Her the most famous two novels, "A Humble and Other Romantic Fiction" (1887) and "A New England Nun and Other Stories" (1891). Most of her novels are involved in the new life of England, it is the best kind in their life. Freeman also remember her novels "Pembroke" (1894), and she also collaborated on the novel "Family" and contribute a significant chapter (1908). In 1902 she married Dr. Charles M. Freeman of New Jersey. In April 1926, Freeman became the American Academy of Arts and letters of William Dean Howells first novel award recipients.She died in New Jersey and was buried in New Jersey, hillside cemetery in Scotland plain.1.2 "The Revolt of Mother"Mary Wilkins Freeman is one of America's most prestigious female writer and her works best features is the face to be in compliance with the traditional mode of the story showed resistance of women in traditional patriarchal concept, it known as "containing subversive themes." "The Revolt of Mother" is such a story that the women revolt patriarchal. Sarah lived in overcrowded shanty all the time in forty years with her family, her husband early promised her to cover new home to improvement home living environment. Finally, he prefers to build new warehouse while unwilling to fulfill the promise. Daughter, Nannie soon to be married, Sarah hopes daughter who is decently married from a new house, and constantly negotiate with her husband, requiring to cover a new house. After she is repeatedly ignored, while her husband went out to buy horses, put her family moved into a new warehouse. And do not yield comment and ridicule of townsfolk for her actions, and force to counter the priests criticism of her. However, her husband only to give up.This short story was widely acclaimed, the reason that is clear resistant theme. Feminist critic Donovan pointed out in the analysis of Freeman's works: "women are in a dilemma. They can choose to stay in the world before the father of motherhood in the world. This means that they must have been at a disadvantage. If they enter the father language world , but it had to endure the exclusion to women." Here clearly pointed out that the division of power in sharp opposition to two areas of gender and between them: father to language for the signifier, and through this signifier has refers to: power; and maternal field is in early language acquisition, because of the lack of the power of language signifier and cannot express their desire and in gender politics is marginalized. Points out that the binary opposition at the same time, Donovan also discusses implied the road of the feminist struggle: first, completely abandon the male world, a pure feminine world; Second, after entering into a male world, try to fuzzy between male and female gender definition.”The Revolt of Mother" has involved in these two points, especially at second points on the discussion highlighted of Donovan.2. Feminism Ideas2.1 Definition of FeminismFeminism is a major source of female experience and motivation for social theory and political movement for promoting social equality and the creation. In the criticism of the social relations, analysis of many feminist supporters also focuses on gender inequality and issues of the promotion of the rights and interests of women. Feminist theory aims to understand the nature of inequality and focus on gender politics and power relations and consciousness. Concept basis of feminism is that the top of the existing society established in the male centered patriarchal system. Feminist research topics include discrimination, stereotyping, materialization (especially about sex), body, distribution of household, and the patriarchal oppression. The theory of feminism is a multitude of things, after all one sentence: the achievement of gender equality in all mankind. Overview of feminist theory, some like the intense fire, some calm such as water, some advocates to struggle or recognizes some compromise, but feminist theory all have a basic premise, that is: women in the world is a hierarchy of being oppressed and discriminated. In such a cross-historical and cross-cultural universal social structure, women in the fields of politics, economy, culture, ideology, knowledge, attitudes, and ethics are inequality with male, even in such a private sphere of family, women are in a position with male inequality. The patriarchal thought that the patriarchal gender order is not only widespread, and will not change, because it is naturally formed; But feminist’s view, the prevailing gender order is not, nor is it never change, because it is not "naturally formed", but is artificially constructed by the social and cultural.In different age and culture, men are also oppressed, but they are oppressed as belonging to a class or class member, and not due to oppression by men. The female is different, except for the reason of belonging to a class or class, just because she was a woman of oppression. The society constructed by men regard women as low that they have to challenge and change higher status of the men to change their low status.There are many challenges to the ruling group of revolutionary history, but only the feminism challenges the patriarchy itself.2.2 Development of FeminismThe history of human society and human rights concept already exist in more than two hundred years, but the concept of human rights in the quite long historical period does not include feminism. Early in the French Revolution of 1791 women leaders Olympe De Gouges published “The Declaration on the Right to Feminism”and “Female Citizens”, or “Declaration of Feminist”. Feminist movement has opened the prelude. Feminism, original intention is "Women's Liberation" originated in France, was introduced into Europe and the United States, and gradually developed into a shares irresistible trend and movement. Feminism of the premise is that women in relative oppression and discrimination status. In the patriarchal society, women in long-term political oppression, social exclusion, economic subject poverty, cultural and ideological education by male autocratic depressed state. With the rapid development of feminism and the spread of the female literature came into being, but also to promote the country's feminism to some extent. Feminism initially can be traced back to France and Britain at the end of eighteenth Century. The center of women's movement spread from Europe to the United states in the mid nineteenth century. But in fact, "feminism" of the words in English until 1890s in circulation. The first wave of western feminism about lasts from nineteenth Century to 1930s or 1940s. The main point is the requirements of women and men have equality status in politics, education, employment and the family. The second wave began in 1960s in the United States, continued to 1980s. The movement is the symbol of 1963 Betty Friedan ”The Feminine Mystique”.The third wave began in 1980s, it is a product of post industrial society and post modern movement.3. A challenge to the patriarchy, try of Sara for the right words3.1 Sara repeatedly asked the husband houseworkThe novel "The Revolt of Mother" begins to vividly describe the dialogue between Sara and her husband. The dialogue is an important means of communication between people, but in between Sara and her husband, there is a clear fault. Sarah in order to know the purpose of husband hire work to dig in his own front door, sheasked four times. First, her husband did not want to respond her, his face sagging , keep his mouth shut. However, she ask her husband second, but husband roars and responds to her, let her not mind his own business. But she does not give up, and she asks him in the third,the husband looked at her with stubborn eyes, finally still don't want to respond her and go out to the barn. The three times husband's attitude is not only evaded, but also very impatient and rude bad attitude movement to response her. The husband threatens to say"Mind your own business, go back inside". Maybe it has nothing to do with her about housework. However, when Sarah persistent asks in the fourth , her husband finally tells her that cover the shack for cattle.Form the details of these a description, we can see the imbalance of the status of Sarah and her husband. Male control power of discourse. For the husband, he think a "real women" who should be a good wife and obey men and processing with housework well. In the resistance of novels, the same said to be the power relations of resistance or resistance of male discourse. The father in the family on behalf of patriarchy, and her mother became the other. At home, the father decided not to refer to the mother's opinion. Father also strictly control the discourse power, only the father can speak at any occasion. He can choose according to their own will to remain silent or refuse to disclose information.Obviously, the mother's opinion is not valued, but she does not keep silent, she insists on asking, demanding to know his father’s idea ; She says her own view and question, that is perfectly reasonable. The story begins with the profound significance of this dialogue is that one begins to create a specific atmosphere and shows status of women in nineteenth Century only to obedience without needing concern.But Sara did not present such a compromise compliance, it can more reflect requirements of the concept of feminist equality, and want to have their own power.3.2 Representations of Sara with her sonAbout this part, after Sarah knows that digging the cellar that is in order to build a new warehouse and through the dialogue of his daughter and son, she learned that son seems to know the thing, so she begin to ask the son if he know his father to build a new warehouse. The son reluctantly answers "Yes, I think I know". This tone isreally sounds very provoking. We can see the son has known that father will built a new warehouse in three months ago in the dialogue. But his son does not tell his mother about it. Sara asks why his son does not tell her. But her son casually say: "I don’t think that is not good". Logically speaking, the mother as an elder, she has right to know more things at home, but that is not so. Sara and his son dialogue further show ingrained male mainstream culture at the end of nineteenth Century. As Brian said, patriarchal society is son directly inherited from his father. As another male in the family, son inherits heritage of the male values, not only know this details that father purchases cattle in three months ago , but also the impatient tone and attitude of thinking mother know this matter is "no good" that the same with his father exactly . Two people's attitude represents requirement of the patriarchal society to obey the real virtues of women, that think field of women is only chores. However, Sara does not obey and use with harsh attitude to face the son's disdain.3.3 Sara to complain about father daughterAs a daughter, the same she is also a woman, in the era of such a male dominated society. She is in a an unequal position, two women together only complain. Daughter also agree with mother's idea, that the father should not built a new warehouse, but built a new house. After all, she will marry. She needs a new house to go to the wedding. Although the female is no right, Sarah is also not submissive attitude, lamentable said "You don’t find we are woman, you have not been able to understand the men?" From this sentence we can see that Sara has had her feminist liberation consciousness, equal consciousness, brave to speak their mind, brave to complain. In fact, the world of being ruled by male, existence of pure female is a debatable issue. In the patriarchal family,relationship of mother and daughter is composed of single women. A lot of women think them will be against the power of men. Yes, as a woman, should not always keep silent and should not always be at the mercy of men. They should listen to their own command and have own ideas, have their own right to speak.We should pursue a world of equality and freedom.4. Victory of Sara Challenges the Patriarchal4.1 Sara asked her husband to discuss itsAbout building the new house, husband of Sarah always delay and without any accurate answer. when her husband is unloading wood, Sarah decide to discuss the matter with her husband. But her husband regards unloading wood and gravel pack as an excuse not to negotiate. However, Sarah doesn’t keep silence and yield. She get more firm, such as novels written as "Sarah Penn like a queen at the door; she lift her head seems to be wearing a crown, very patient, which makes with the imperial power in her voice." Finally the husband get relented and come her. However, it is such a real women of submissive and housekeeping, but is driven by strong self desire to build new house, through the language began to affirm self recognition and self value, especially is the value of their labor, this is a question of Sarah to real women value standard. In contrast, the definition of fuzzy gender struggles of women is more common and feasible. By mastering this power of language, women can reflect discourse about themselves wishes, and in order to achieve the purpose of changing power relations. This is a revolutionary of “The Revolt of Mother”. Sarah skillfully use the language to force male to admit her existence. Finally she realizes her wishes. Sara's voice has been implemented, Sara obtains the preliminary victory about challenging the patriarchal.4.2 Building a new house of Sara’s demandBecause of a strong desire of building a new house, Sara began to identify herself through language and affirm self-worth, especially their labor value. At the beginning of Sara sincerely ask and emotionally tell her husband that she wants to build a new house and hope to get the understanding and support of her husband, "This is where we got married forty years ago, at the time you have promised for me, and you said you will be able to finish the houses within a year, in that place...... In the past forty years, you would have earned enough money.I save money for you all the time, but you build new warehouse, additions to the barn and cattle circle, and always refuses to build a new house. I really want to know your feel about your action, is that right? " However, the husband is still not any response,and continue to keepsilence and refuse to Sarah's proposal. Although Sarah doesn’t not get positive response and support from her husband, but Sarah was through language gradually highlight her self-consciousness and self value. She begin to wake up, no longer to worship "real women, change thought of housewife of long submissive and silent. And began to become wife or mother of selfless dedication because of her live. Her husband doesn’t understand and support Sarah, he still refused to build a new house with silence. However, her consciousness and value are gradually revealed in the language level. And this kind of self awakening helped Sara began to gradually get rid of blind fate.Sarah’s guidelines of resistance to male centralism is in the name with love, put changing the family life as a starting point, regard love for husband and children as the motivation and purpose of a series of acts of resistance to fight against, which is the key what she was finally able to get to success. Establishment of a new home is a start of Sarah desire, but in fact, she hopes her family to be able to have a good living environment. And she also hope that she can prepare is new house for the wedding of her daughter in the future. Through the expression of language, Sarah's own will and resistance behavior get more rationalized.4.3 Guilt of husbandAfter Sara and her husband have a long talk, her husband doesn’t not answer Sara's questions, only go away with dragged . Her husband remains in the patriarchal society's dominance, and must keeps his arrogant attitude. To her husband, to make money and success is more important, which is stable and wealth, social status, achievement together. For Sarah, her home is her scope of activity and focus. This is a place to live , and it is related to interpersonal relationship and human feelings, it is also maintain affection. First, the two kinds of culture and value is the opposite and unable to communicate. The husband wanted to build a stable, he does not know Sara's desire what want a new house. Later, Sara will put the new stable into a new home. So, home of female field is above on stable of male dominated. She forced her husband can not only see his stables, but see the existence of the house. What make her value and culture successfully conveyed to her husband.However Sarah does not entangle her husband, instead of Sarah's sudden silence make his very surprised, he feel he is immoral. After a conversation of his son and he, gradually he begin to consider his wife's feelings, which is the first time over the years he tries to understand her form his wife's point. Silence is no longer Sarah’s obedience to"real women" values. On the contrary, she starts to get the attention of a male, breaks the deadlock of a male preside over the right to speak over the years. Sara used his speech and action to win understanding of her husband a little bit. Although there is no identity from her husband, she is not sinking down. She still help her husband to cut shirt and cook delicious food, with action to influence her husband. This is a rebellious skills, this kind of silently revolt, but it has also been substantial effect. Finally, she gets the husband's guilt and wins a preliminary victory.5. Sara win the complete victory of patriarchy5.1 Sara ordered to moveAfter Sara receives a letter from her brother's letter, her husband decided to buy horses. Sarah's heart beat is very powerful at that time. Perhaps because newly built warehouses soon became a real stable, and her new house is not forthcoming, so she get worried. Perhaps it is that she strongly wants to move into a new warehouse and desire of put into the new house to drive into practice in the past forty years. This is a awakening of her female consciousness. When her husband goes out. He gets serious and tense to look back his wife, which also make a hint for Sarah to move. When her husband left, Sarah's face constantly changing such as her work, her wrinkled forehead get smooth, her eyes is stable and her lips firmly closed. Sarah had already decided on the line of action. For Sarah, unexpected opportunity is what God arranged signs for the new direction of our life. In order to let the whole family live in spacious warehouse, let his daughter decently marry. Sarah will not give up this chance of course.Sarah grasps the opportunity, she ordered her children let them and she together to moved into the spacious, bright and new warehouse. Her words right the first change into the execution. It also marks the construction of female discourse and deconstruction of the male discourse. First of all, when her husband was out, first withthe identity of the family hostess forbids the workers putting grass into the new building, and then with the identity of the mother orders the children and she together to move to the new home. Description of Sarah’s appearance is very feminine, and she also more retains the virtues of the traditional women. She is a dutiful wife and mother. The reason of her revolt is what she consider her family rather than the pursuit of self realization. However on the other hand, with the development of the story, Sarah’s strong rebellious color independent personality is fully emerged. In the whole thing of moving, she is firm, decisive, determined and no concession. Sarah gradually unfold her power and rebellion that is not too conforms to female.She realized her own wishes, which is in the field of family life. Sarah with the identity of the wife and mother implementation against the first to win victory from the action , she was depicted to become an army fighting by Freeman reflecting the Sarah on the right of the first control5.2 Do not yield discussion of townsfolkThe next morning, the message of Sarah moved into new home spread throughout the town. The men gathered in shops to talk about that. Some people say, she is a deranged woman, and some people say, she has the soul of illegal rebellion. Although women of wearing scarf haven't finished work and flee into their house, Sarah doesn't hide in her house. She is not scared people of discussing her. She knows that is right to do their own thing. She is in accordance with their own ideas to do. She think she has such rights. In this quiet city, any deviation from the normal life behavior is enough to stop all progress. Everyone stop on the roadside to see the calm and independent woman. For her, there are always some different opinions. While Sarah hides her husband to move into warehouse, and this matter with the obvious personal in nature. Action of Sarah means to initiate to silently challenge her husband as the representative of the man at home in the habit of authority. While she not only to resist her husband or her individual behavior, but also to challenge the male authority with the nature. So not only is the husband of Sara, the whole village is horror by Sara's bold and rebellious action.。
