Virginia Woolf's Gender Ideal Embodied In Orlando

Gender is one of the eternal themes which bewilder human beings. Everyone will be confronted with the issue of gender sooner or later. However, only artists can draw something valuable from it. Virginia Woolf, the outstanding British writer, is an explorer of modern literature and pioneer of feminist movement. Her concentration on analysis of gender in her novels is also unique and leaves readers much room for thinking. This thesis aims to discuss Woolf's gender ideal through a case study of her fantasy novel Orlando, with a focus on her theory of androgyny.The thesis consists of six parts:The introduction is a summary of Woolf's life and her fantasy novel Orlando, the literature review of Orlando both at home and abroad, and the significance of the thesis.Chapter One combs the origin and development of androgyny. The concept of androgyny is originated from mythology. It is Woolf who develops this concept into a new theory with abundant connotations. According to Woolf's androgynous theory, the human brain is marked with characteristics of both male and female. Androgyny is not only a writer's optimal state, but also an ideal relationship between the two sexes.Chapter Two discusses the feminine qualities in the male Orlando from three perspectives:his womanly handsome features, his gentle personality and his woman-like manners. By creating the androgynous character Orlando, Woolf deconstructs the gender binary system and proposes a solution to the problem of sexism, that is, harmonious coexistence between the two sexes.Chapter Three analyzes the masculine traits in the female Orlando:her manly beautiful appearance, her assertive and ambitious character and her man-like body movements. The author thinks that Woolf's androgynous idea is a strategy to help women in dilemma and plays a positive role in solving the problems between the two sexes. Chapter Four indicates that Woolf's gender ideal is embodied in the androgynous character Orlando. She speculates that patriarchy is merely a fiction under suspicion, in which woman is created inferior and man superior. And androgyny is a perfect fusion of the duality, which will eradicate the opposition between the male and female.In conclusion, the thesis gives a positive affirmation to Woolf's contribution to women's liberation and even the progress of the whole human race.In short, through Orlando, Woolf realizes the literary innovation in the form of androgyny and embeds the gender theme into the flux of the novel to fulfill her meditation on the human's life and future.