Rebellion And Exploration:a Feminist Study Of Sarah’s Pursuit Of Freedom In The French Lieutenant’s Woman

John Fowles, one of the greatest English novelists, enjoys a great reputation forhis masterpiece The French Lieutenant’s Woman. In the novel, Fowles narrates aromantic love story of the main characters Charles and Sarah in the Victorian society.In order to pursue independence and freedom, Sarah fights against Victoriantraditional mores and conventions.Nowadays most scholars and critics study on The French Lieutenant’s Womanfrom the aspect of narratology in the context of postmodernism or existentialism.Only a few study from the perspective of feminism. Viewing from the perspective ofthe feminist criticism, this thesis studies the protagonist Sarah’s rebellion againstVictorian traditional mores and her exploration of freedom. The basis of the tragedy ofwomen lies in the Victorian patriarchy and masculine hegemony. In themale-dominated patriarchal society, Sarah, as the leader of the women emancipation,actively rebels and challenges male authority to realize self-identity and master herown life. Based on the theory of feminist criticism, Fowles depicts the long and toughprocess from Sarah’s bondage to her awakening of feminine consciousness and at lastsuccessfully becoming a new woman. The thesis consists of four chapters:The first chapter briefly introduces John Fowles and his work The FrenchLieutenant’s Woman as well as the theory of feminist criticism. What’s more, itintroduces different scholars’ critical studies on this novel. The thesis in chapter I alsoexposes women’s sufferings because of masculine hegemony. The second chapterexpounds the process from Sarah’s awakening of feminine consciousness to her rebellion against masculine hegemony. She is against the grain with the Victoriansociety and is despised and excluded. During her longing for independence andfreedom, Sarah’s feminine consciousness begins to wake up and she challenges men’sauthority bravely. She begins to rebel against Victorian conventions and mores.Chapter three discusses Sarah’s exploration for independence, which is made up ofSarah’s independence in economy and love. This chapter also illustrates Sarah’srealization of freedom. At last Sarah realizes her construction of self identity, andbecomes a new woman who finally achieves freedom. It points out Sarah’s excessivestress on her own interests. In the conclusion part, the females are encouraged to fightagainst patriarchy so that all of the women can achieve their independence andfreedom.