A Deconstructive Feminist Analysis Of The Millstone

Margaret Drabble (1939- ),a contemporary British novelist, with James Tait Black Memorial Prize, E.M.Forster Award, John Llewelly Rhys Prize awarded since the 1960s, is a focus in the Western world. However, in China, there is only a little study of her and her works.The Millstone, Margaret Drabble's third novel, was awarded the John Llewelly Rhys Prize. In The Millstone, Drabble successfully depicts an image of free women represented by Rosamund and reveals women's awkward marginal position and the repression they suffer in the patriarchal society. By combining the viewpoints of feminist criticism with the principles of deconstruction, this paper tends to analyze The Millstone from the angles of patriarchal discourse,gender binary opposition, and female stereotypes. The analysis shows the repression of Phallocentricism on women and how Drabble deconstructs the patriarchal system and how she constructs female discourse.The thesis is composed of five parts. Chapter One is the brief introduction of Margaret Drabble and The Millstone as well as deconstructive feminist theory. Chapter Two indicates that the traditional narrative discourse is the product of patriarchal order and then analyzes how Rosamund subverts the male discourse and strives for women's own voice. Chapter Three discusses the gender binary opposition and then analyzes how Rosamund deconstructs the man and woman duality and constructs female authority. Chapter Four portrays the female images under the control of Phallocentricism and then analyzes how Rosamund deconstructs the traditional female stereotypes. Chapter Five deepens the understanding of Drabble's thoughts and writings from the previous analysis. She uses the unconventional way to depict female experience of pursuing ideal life. The significance in ideology, sociology and culture reflected in The Millstone distinctly interprets the efforts and struggles Drabble has made on the way of women's liberation.