Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 202-210). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 202-210). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 313-332). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-01-18Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:14:17Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 gualda_lc_me_assis.pdf: 904320 bytes, checksum: 24d530289156b165c6da5331ab4b7e98 (MD5) / Secretaria da Educação / Esta dissertação objetiva investigar como se constrói a representação feminina nas obras Dom Casmurro e The Turn of the Screw, tendo como ponto de partida as personagens Capitu e a governanta, respectivamente. Os ideais femininos apresentados são criações masculinas e por isso merecem atenção especial. Ambas as personagens fazem referência a uma construção social que tem a ver com a distinção masculino/feminino, colocando a mulher numa posição de inferioridade e veiculando uma imagem negativa dessas mulheres adúltera e insana. Estamos interessados nesses estereótipos de mulher que se constroem a partir dos mitos concebidos e se incorporam ao gênero dando-lhes um caráter de naturalidade. Acreditamos que tais representações equivalem, no contexto das obras, a uma apropriação do olhar masculino sobre o corpo feminino. Machado de Assis e Henry James não captam apenas a alma da mulher, mas também transferem essa criação para a superfície da palavra com a qual esses enredos, narrados em primeira pessoa, se constroem. Por fim, com auxílio da linha feminista da crítica literária que se preocupa com a questão da mulher consumidora de uma literatura produzida por homens, pretendemos gerar uma reflexão a respeito da identidade de gênero criada e veiculada sob uma ótica masculina. / This dissertation intends to investigate how the feminine representations are built up in the novels Dom Casmurro and The Turn of the Screw, whose starting points are the characters Capitu and the governess, respectively. The feminine ideals are masculine creations and so they deserve special attention. Both characters refer to a social construction that is related to the distinction between masculine/feminine, which includes the woman in an inferior position and projects a negative image of these women adulterous and insane. We are interested in these stereotypes of women that are built from established myths and are incorporated into gender showing a character of naturalness. Concerning the novels context, we believe that these representations are equivalent to an appropriation of the masculine view over the feminine body. Machado de Assis and Henry James grasp not only woman s soul, but they also transfer their creations to the word surface, with which the plots in first person are built. To conclude, with the support of the feminist literary criticism which deals with the issue of women as consumers of a literature produced by men, we intend to encourage a reflection about gender identity created and presented according to a masculine view.

This thesis investigates the subversion of Biblical discourse in Jeanette Winterson’s first two novels, Oranges are Not the Only Fruit and Boating for Beginners. By rewriting Biblical stories Winterson challenges traditional Western religious discourses and their rules for heteronormative social and sexual behaviours and desires. Winterson’s texts respond to the patriarchal nature of socially pervasive texts, such as the Bible, by encouraging her readers to regard these texts with suspicion, thus highlighting what can be seen as a ‘postmodern concern’ with the notion of ‘truth’. Chapter One of this thesis comprises a discussion of Biblical boundaries. These boundaries, I argue, are a process of historical oppression which serves to subjugate and control women, a practice inherent in the Bible and modern society. The Biblical boundaries within which women are expected to live, are carefully portrayed in Oranges and then comically and blasphemously mocked in Boating. Chapter One also argues that Winterson’s sexuality plays an important role in the understanding of her texts, despite her desire for her sexuality to remain ‘outside’ her writing. Chapter Two of this thesis, examines the mix of fact and fiction in Oranges, in order to create a new genre: fictional memoir. The chapter introduces the concept of the ‘autobiographical pact’ and the textual agreement which Winterson creates with her readers. In this chapter, I examine Winterson’s powerful subversion of Biblical discourse, through her narration of Jeanette’s ‘coming out’ within a Biblical framework. Chapter Three of this thesis examines Winterson’s second book, Boating, and the serious elements of this comic book. This chapter studies the various postmodern narrative techniques used in Boating in order to subvert Biblical and historical discourse. Chapter Three highlights Winterson’s postmodern concern with the construction of history as ‘truth’. Finally, Chapter Four compares Oranges and Boating, showing the texts as differing, yet equally relevant textual counterparts. This chapter examines the anti-feminine characters in both texts and Winterson’s ability to align her reader with a feminist or lesbian viewpoint. This thesis argues that Winterson’s first two texts deliberately challenge Biblical discourse in favour of a postmodern feminist viewpoint.

Essa dissertação percorre a obra da escritora francesa, Violette Leduc, elaborando uma reflexão crítica a partir das noções de performatividade e performance, tal como conceituadas por Judith Butler. O núcleo da investigação proposta é a maneira como tais noções operam na obra leduciana, sobretudo sua trilogia autobiográfica, composta pelos livros La bâtarde, La folie en tête e La chasse à lamour. A partir da lente da crítica feminista, com especial atenção aos estudos queer (sem, no entanto, esquecer as vertentes críticas que os precedem), a análise da obra de Leduc torna-se, também, uma discussão sobre poder, gêneros, sexualidades e potências da linguagem literária. As narradoras-personagens dos livros de Leduc constantemente se debruçam sobre a própria obra da autora e a tomam para si: reescrevem os livros publicados como ficcionais, denunciam suas estratégias criativas, falam sobre os impasses do exercício da escrita, desestabilizam a obra de Violette Leduc, transformando-a constantemente. Para além disso, há na literatura leduciana um questionamento recorrente das estruturas sociais, culturais e políticas que regulam os gêneros, os desejos e as práticas sexuais. Tanto a lesbiandade, a bissexualidade, a heterossexualidade, a fluidez dos desejos e das possibilidades para sua práxis quanto as feminilidades e masculinidades, são temas narrados e explorados ao longo de toda a trilogia autobiográfica e também dos romances. Tais indagações culminam em transformações na própria escrita literária, revelando como característica central da literatura leduciana a relação simbiótica entre criação (performance) e citação (performatividade). / The following dissertation explores the work of french writer, Violette Leduc through Judith Butlers definition for both gender performativity and performance notions. The investigations core is the part such notions play in Leducs work, especially her autobiographical trilogy, which comprehends the novels La bâtarde, La folie en tête and La chasse à lamour. This research views Leducs work from the feminist criticism perspective, with special attention to queer studies (but without losing account of the critical thinking that preceded it). The result is an literary analysis that transforms into a discussion of various themes, such as power, genders, sexualities and the different potentials for literary language. Leducs autobiographical protagonist-narrators constantly address Leducs own literary work and claim their ownership over it: they rewrite Leducs fiction and also denounce their creative strategies as well as her impasses with literary writing. The result is a narrator that destabilizes Violette Leducs work, persistently transforming it. Beyond that, in the leducian literature there is a recurrent interrogation of social, political and cultural structures that regulate genders, desires and sexual practices. Lesbianhood, bissexuality, heterossexuality, feminility and masculinity as well as desire and its practical potentialities are themes explored throughout the entire autobiographical trilogy and also in the fictional work. Such inquiries result in transformations on the very literary writing, revealing a key aspect of Leducs literature: the symbiotic relationship established between creation (performance) and citation (performativity).

This essay explores and problematizes the relationship between the protagonist Ram and the female characters of Vikas Swarup’s novel Slumdog Millionaire. In order to analyse Ram in relation to women, feminist theory is used together with discussions of patriarchy, India and Bollywood. The analysis shows that the protagonist weakens and degrades women by focusing on their appearances, forcing them to conform to traditional gender roles, diminishing their abilities and strength and, most importantly, by saving them. Throughout the novel, women are depicted as weak victims, while Ram portrays himself as a strong, masculine, hero. This analysis suggests that his actions are due to influence from patriarchy, Indian society and Bollywood cinema. / Denna uppsats problematiserar och utforskar relationen mellan huvudkaraktären Ram och de kvinnliga karaktärerna i Vikas Swarups roman Slumdog Millionaire. För att kunna analysera huvudkaraktären i relation till kvinnor, används feministisk teori, tillsammans med diskussioner om patriarkatet, Indien och Bollywood. Denna analys visar att Ram försvagar och nedvärderar kvinnor genom att fokusera på deras utseende, tvinga dem att anpassa sig till traditionella könsroller, förminska deras förmågor och styrka och, framförallt, genom att rädda dem. Genom hela romanen är kvinnor framställda som svaga offer, medan Ram porträtterar sig själv som en stark, maskulin hjälte. Denna analys hävdar att han agerar på detta sätt på grund av influenser från patriarkatet, det Indiska samhället och Bollywoodfilmer.

M.A. / The main aim of the research was to make the book of Revelation, often considered as a marginal book within the context of the Christian Bible, more accessible for contemporary readers. The study's first focus is on the contextualization of the creation of this book. The most accepted time frame in which this text was written is around 95-96 AD. The social-historical context in those years was investigated and possible crisis and conflict elements identified. Hypotheses about authorship was developed concluding that Revelation was probably written by a Jew who was part of an itinerant group which was viewed as apocalyptic prophets. The structure of the book of Revelation was investigated, as it is essential for the analysis of the contents. It was found that scholarship has not yet reach consensus of the book of Revelation. Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza nonetheless found general approval among scholars and thus was this chiastic surface structure applied on the book of Revelation. Other models of interpretation were investigated as well as key terminology. The focus then moved to feminist theology. It's origins, key terminology, important contributors and its contributions in the world were investigated. A couple of the new feminist hermeneutical and exegetical models that have been developed during the last decade were research concentrating especially on the twelve tenets developed from the notion of Denise Carmody's pillars of feminist theology. Revelation is interpreted by using these twelve tenets namely the quest for truth, meaning, justice, equality, love, hope, beauty, identity, empowerment, unity, happiness/fulfilment and freedom. Finally, this analysis is briefly evaluated in order to establish if the main aims namely: to arrive at a fresh interpretation of Revelation, making the book of Revelation more accessible to its readers, evaluating the book's relevance for today and developing the means to lead more believers or other readers from fear to freedom, was accomplished. The study concluded that this method had the potential to contribute towards a fresh interpretation of the apocalypse, and the identification of a meaningful message in the narrative. However, using this method exclusively in the exegetical analysis of the book of Revelation, tended to narrow the focus down to only a limited aspect of this rich and varied text. The findings of this research project suggested that, with further refinement, the Carmody-derived research process could fruitfully be used in conjunction with other feminist hermeneutical and exegetical models. Integrated in this manner, it has the potential to contribute towards a change in interpretive perspective and practice.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a nuanced play that illustrates revenge, madness, and complex relationships. The paper proposes a feminist reading of Hamlet and analyses the play’s central characters, Gertrude, Ophelia, Hamlet, Claudius, Polonius, and Laertes, and their behaviour under the influence of a patriarchal society. Furthermore, the study will focus on the ways in which Shakespeare represents Ophelia and Gertrude in the play. The study does a feminist reading of the play to investigate how Ophelia’s and Gertrude’s actions and behaviour are affected by the contemporary patriarchal society, and how it affects the male characters’ choices. This research allows readers to interpret female characters in several ways, and to see how women are forced to act and make choices in a contemporary patriarchy to be able to influence societal structures.

This essay argues that Little Women does not promote breaking stereotypical gender norms and nineteenth century gender roles, contrary to what several critics say. This paper will be using feminist criticism and analyzing two of the novel’s main characters, Meg and Jo, and examining their behavior towards stereotypical gender norms and rules. This essay concludes that while Jo challenges certain gender norms and roles, such as having “manly” emotions (anger) and taking on male-dominated jobs (author), within the narration she is punished for these and forced to become a conventional woman of the nineteenth century in order to live a happy life. On the other hand, Meg follows the rules of societal gender expectations and is rewarded for her behavior. By examining these two characters, this essay establishes that Little Women, because it is a didactic novel, delivers the moral that women can only be truly happy if they fit into stereotypical gender norms and roles.