Anti-Patriarchy Ideology and the Analysis of Characters in Gail Garson Levine’s Ella Enchanted

• Main Authors: Ya-chin Lee, 李亞錦
• Other Authors: Shin-yi Lee
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/91414943154508235605

碩士 === 國立中正大學 === 外國語文研究所 === 104 === This thesis argues that not only men oppress women, but also women press women; meanwhile, men are also restrained by men in Gail Garson Levine’s Ella Enchanted. This thesis attempts to study how patriarchy works in this fiction. I try to find out the problems of patriarchy by adopting Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of feminism and analyzing the characters in this novel. The social circumstances form an invisible power of patriarchy to confine women if they want to fulfill dreams or talents in this patriarchal world. Following the introduction, this thesis is divided into two chapters. Chapter One begins with the research on the patriarchy formation and development by adopting Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of feminism. Further, I attempt to examine women’s conditions to find out the problems of this patriarchal social system. Then, I would like to investigate how patriarchy works in Ella Enchanted. Chapter Two focuses on characters analysis in this fiction. I examine the problems of patriarchal world by investigating Ella’s relationships with other female characters, such as Hattie, Olive, and Areida. Further, I explore the relationships between Ella and Sir Peter, and between Prince Charmont and King Jerold, to discuss the problems of patriarchy. Finally, I show Ella and Prince Charmont are the ordinary people just like everyone of us by analyzing the relationship between them. The protagonists in the traditional fairy tales wait for prince’s rescue, and they are obedient, submissive. They are fine ladies who cater to men’s requirements in the patriarchal world. On the contrary, Ella isn’t a perfect lady, but only an ordinary people just like everyone of us. In the patriarchal world, Ella is brave to pursue the life she wants, not just being obedient.