Women In Growth AFeminist Interpretation Of The Change Of Women In Harold Pinter’s Plays

After George Bernard Shaw, Harold Pinter(1930-2008) is considered as one of the most important playwrights in the twentieth century English literature. In his plays, crisis is hidden in calm, threat lurks beside humor, and his unique, personalized, independent artistic style is recognized worldwide. "Pinter style", as appearing in Oxford Dictionary of Theatre, confirms Pinter and his dramatic creations within the history of British literature. Moreover, this serves to illustrate Pinter’s diversity and the breakthrough of dramatic expression and technique his work proved to be.In Pinter’s plays, greater attention is paid to the description of male figures within a patriarchal society, whilst women are but minor characters. In fact, women in the works of Pinter experience a process of awakening. Feminism in Pinter’s works is embodied in the changes of the females from the humble and weak, to the struggle for self-esteem. Based on his works, such as The Room, The Homecoming,Birthday Party, and Mountain Language, the author researches and analyzes the change of women in the aspects of discourse, physical behavior, and identity awareness.This thesis can be divided into five distinct parts. Part One, serves as an introduction to the life of Pinter and his works, as well as a research review of experts and scholars. Part Two, the first chapter, analyzes the change of discourse right of feminism in Pinter’s plays from two aspects of marital and societal relationships respectively. Part Three, the second chapter, summarizes from the aspect of physical behavior, and describes the change of female status in Pinter’s plays from the two aspects of female body and demeanor. Part Four, the third chapter, analyzes from the aspects of identity awareness, providing further analysis of the increase of female consciousness of rebellion by demonstrating the changes of two aspects of family relations and social relations. The closing part is a conclusion which combines prevailing feminism with awakening feminine consciousness under the social background in which Pinter lived and worked, reconfirming the dynamic evolution of feminism in Pinter’s works.