For The Happiness Of Both Genders: On The Feminism In The Stone Angel

This thesis analyzes the life of the protagonist Hagar who rebels against patriarchy and pursues feminism in Margaret Laurence's The Stone Angel. Hagar grows up under patriarchy, but she bravely escapes from her father's control, accomplishing her first step in pursuit of feminism. After marriage, Hagar can't accept her husband's life-style and economic restriction, so she gives up her marriage and struggles for independence, realizing her second step in pursuit of feminism. She pursues dignity when she's sick and old, realizing her third step in pursuit of feminism. Examining the whole life of Hagar, despite being only a successful feminist, she's a failed daughter, wife and mother. Through analyzing Hagar's life in pursuit of feminism, this thesis indicates that Laurence expresses her basic feminist thought through the creation of Hagar: the goal of feminism is for the happiness of both genders. Feminists should solve the problem peacefully and harmoniously from the perspective of humanism.