From The Other To Authentic Being: Transcendence Of Olivia In A Woman Of Genius From The Perspective Of Existentialist Feminism

Mary Austin is one of the representative female writers of early American nature writing,as well as a feminist and social activist.Traditional literary criticism has most focused on her nature writing,but less on her novels that embody her feminist ideas.In this thesis,the most famous one of Austin’s nine novels,A Woman of Genius(1912),also called “a dress rehearsal for Austin’s autobiography,” is to be examined.Published during the period of her active participation in the feminist movement,the novel best reflects Austin’s advanced feminist consciousness.This novel records Olivia’s growth from an ordinary small-town woman to a famous tragic actress from the first person point of view.From the perspective of Beauvoir’s existentialist feminism,this thesis reveals how Olivia transforms from the inauthentic “other” into an authentic being with an independent sense of self.It also analyses Olivia’s internal characteristics as a gifted woman and the external factors that influence the development of her talents.This thesis points out that women,especially gifted women,can realize their self-worth and authentic being only by breaking the shackles of patriarchal society,getting rid of eternal femininity,and developing their talents freely.The thesis is divided into three chapters.The first chapter analyses the three causes for Olivia’s reduction to “the absolute otherness”: economic dependence,the internalisation of “the other” identity in a patriarchal society and the bondage of marriage,which,put together,deprives her of a sense of subjectivity and prevents the affirmation and development of her gifts.The second chapter exploits the concepts of“immanence” and “transcendence” to conduct a detailed analysis of how Olivia transcends her immanence and escapes her “other” status.First,she achieves complete financial independence and forms self-awareness by pursuing her acting career.Then,with her financial independence,she is able to make two free choices to escape the traditional marriage that has restricted her career and maintain her independence.Finally,her partnership with men,especially her marriage to a partner of many years,enables her to unite family and career,to achieve both emotional and professional fulfillment,so as to become an authentic being with a sense of subjectivity and creativity.The third chapter analyses how Olivia’s emotional over-excitabilities and resilience as a gifted actress contributes to the development of her talent,and how the social pressures on her as an actress,including gender discrimination and occupational stigma,hinder the development of her talent.The thesis aims to provide a model for women,especially gifted women,to achieve self-independence and professional success,and to offer new perspectives on Austin’s works.