Research On The Female Writing Of Natsume Sōseki’s Novels

Natsume Sōseki is known as the "Great National Writer" in Japan,whose works have influenced Japanese people for a whole century.He created some unique female images,although most of them were not written a lot in the novel,but these female images are vivid and abundant in connotation.This paper will take his novels as the text,on the basis of the theory of feminism and prototype criticism and so on,by analyzing different types of female characters in his works,analysis the writer’s witness about women’s existence in different ways of writing.The text of the thesis consists of three parts.Chapter one analyzes the hypocritical female images in Natsume Sōseki’s writings.Such images are represented by Nami in The Three-Cornered World(1906)、Fujio in Gubijinsi(1907)and Miyako in Sanshiro(1908).They are invidious,selfish,vain,seductive and indulgent.Natsume Sōseki uses some images such as "water","hair" and "poppy grass" to imply that they were full of seductive temperament.This kind of women are all obedient to the patriarchy,who give up their true selves for a comfortable life,based on the theory of feminism.Chapter two analyzes the candid female images in Natsume Sōseki’s writings.Such images are represented by Tiyoko in Higan sugi made(1912)、 Nao in The Wayfarer(1913)、Sumi in Grass on the Wayside(1915)and Nobe in Light and Dark(1916).In the works,these women confront the male power in a silent way,or boldly and forthrightly pursue sincere love.From the feminist theory and the background of Meiji Restoration in Japan,the self-consciousness of these women begin to awaken,and they try to walk out of the barriers of male power.The author creates these female images with sympathy,and describes their actions and courage in struggling to survive.Chapter three analyzes the female images in Natsume Sōseki’s writings who are persevering and determined.Such images are represented by Mitiyo in And Then(1909)、Yone in The Gate(1910)、Sizuko in Kokoro(1914)、Kyoko in Light and Dark(1916)and Sanshiro’s mother in Sanshiro(1908)and Suē’s mother in Higan sugi made(1912).Using the myth prototype theory,this chapter discusses the goddess worship in Japanese traditional culture reflected in the literature and the writing of ideal women by the author,combined with the "amaterasu" worship in Japanese mythology and the Japanese bushido culture.This kind of women shaped by him seem to be kind mothers or patient wife images,but in fact they all have a soft exterior with a firm interior.They not only have independent self-consciousness,but also have a strong vitality.Natsume Sōseki uses the image of "lily" to describe the sacred women,and constructs the concept of modern women and modern spirit from the idea of "removing the private from the nature."Through the analysis of three types of female images in Natsume Sōseki’s novels,the paper discusses on the author’s complex feelings and cognitive changes towards women in his writing,which is related to his own family experience on one hand and derived from the concept of women in Japanese culture and literary tradition on the other hand.Therefore,it is difficult for the women in Natsume Sōseki’s writings to be clearly divided into evil women,psychic or goddess,angels in western feminist theory.Instead they are unique and charmed with varied emotions and subtle inner world.This thesis illustrates the author’s writing about the inner spirit of women and reflects his sympathy for the living conditions of modern women.Under the background of self-awareness and subjectivity construction in modern times,Natsume Sōseki’s observation and writing about women is a reflection of his respect for life and the right to live.