The Heroine in British and American Literature

曾凡雷

There are full of self-consciousness in British and American Literature. It developed quickly to begin with the idealism. The Heroine in literature is almost kind， loyal and wholehearted. But they are not the victims of the feudalism any more. They become to be a fighter. They are strong， brave and progressive such as Scarlet O'Hara and Jane Eyre. They are both the famous heroines in the British and American Literature.

1 The Business Sense of Scarlet O'Hara

Scarlet is like a cat. With the cat-like eyes， and the cat-like smile， and the cat-like pace of the agile， this cat-like woman offers some of the reality and tells how we should treat our life， love， the difficulties， and frustrations of the attitude and experience. First she meets with the difficulty with responsibility， though there is also hesitation， finally she still assumes responsibility. For example she saves Melanie， and she revives Tara. Also she dares to love or to regret. Her whole youth is spent in love with Ashley， without return， but she still never gives up， until the limit of the ability to do so. The third is she is trying to correct her mistakes. When she finally understands what she has done wrong， she immediately apologizes， and asks for forgiveness. Then， Starlets action has generated the image of a woman with her strong mind to earn her living through her utmost encouragement.

This show there has aroused the consciousness of feminism， that is， the independence and the autonomy of the women.

Scarlet buy a sawmill and try to operate it by herself. Her husband—frank， who is as weak as water， can not accept that scarlet want to operate the sawmill. “Frank， like he knew all men， think a wife Children should respect her husband always clever than her knowledge， should be fully accept the meaning of her husband See， but never acted. Woman is so some interesting little guys indulge a bit won't have to them whats bad. Frank was gentle， for his wife never demanding. He would gladly meet a charming soft little silly thought， at most， only pity to blame She is stupid and luxury.” From this， we can see that men love to the women is like it to a pet. And the tolerant from men is based on the govern place that it can not be moved. In fact， men would like to do everything for women. But they dont like the intelligence and wisdom from the women. If one woman may show a special skill or special view， people would avoid her. They think that she will be a bean counter and that is beyond her role. After scarlet married frank， he fined his wife is becoming a bean counter. At first， he thought it is funny. And then， he was shocked by it and tried his best to avoid talking the business with scarlet. When scarlet asked that， frank just repeat the sentence and He just dry cough， nervously put hands and repeat the sentences that about her “Love the little brain irritating”. Even then， the clerk in frank shop thought that women should not to be part to business.

Although scarlet is successful in operating the sawmill， she always think that men are together to sit down on her. As her view， scarlet think that men always want to put women out of the brainwork and knowledge. The mothers who live in south are the moral principles performer. They limit the young girls. They do not let the girls nature developing. Scarlet is taught to be a lady since her childhood. Her mother Alan and her wet nurse try their best to beat the quality that a lady need into her head. Scarlet operate the sawmill by herself. This behavior opposes the position that women in south have. So， she was criticized and isolated. Women in south they loose the personal dignity and self-awareness because of the social press. They totally bone to the value of men.

2 The Analysis of Love Attitude in Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre in the novel is regarded as a heroine. She was very poor， because her father and mother died when she was very young. She became an orphan and lived in her uncle house. Whats worse， her uncle also died a few years later. The poor girl had to live with her bad aunt. Since then her life just liked a miserable nightmare. Her aunt did not like her， and her cousins bullied her. At last， she was sent to a boarding school， and never allowed to come back home.

When she grew up to a young lady， she became a governess at the estate of Thornfield employed by Edward Rochester. It was in this place where Jane and Rochester gradually fell in love. But because of the appearance of Rochester wife， Jane left Thornfield. During that time， she met John. He wanted to marry Jane， but Jane refused him as they never loved each other. The happy ending is that Jane became very rich and returned to Rochester.

After a pretty long time， Mr. Rochester wanted to test Janes love for him so that he invited many friends to his manor including Miss Ingram. It was said that Mr. Rochester had taken a fancy to Miss Ingram. Soon the servant rumored that Mr. Rochester would marry Miss Ingram in a few days. Needless to say， this was a pitiless hit for Jane， a young lady who just fell in love. At last， Jane decided to leave. Jane had been straggled for a long time. She left neither because she did not love Rochester nor she was selfish. It was her belief that can not accept.

In some cases， Janes behavior was really brave. In the 19th century， the females suffered discrimination； they were very easy to become rely on the males spiritually and economically. Janes living was just like a very strong appeal. She was expressing a kind of rebellion. She was passing encouragement and power. She cannot accept Mr. Rochester had lied to her. She believed in equality and freedom. She cannot purse herself to give up equality and freedom in spirit and in daily lives. Her only choice was to leave.

3 Include

The heroine at that age is more and more brave and open. They have their own sprits in their hearts. Going out of the home is more and more popular. Feminism be awakened by the heroines in the literatures. Jane Eyre who is the heroine written by Charlotte Bronte. Scarlet who is the heroine written by Margaret Mitchell. Elizabeth who is the heroine written by Jane Austen. The entire heroine is the representative of the modern women. They are the example that can encourage more and more housewives to go out and fight with the feudalism.

【參考文獻】

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[4]約瑟芬·多諾萬.女權主義的知識分子傳統[M].趙育春，譯.南京：江蘇人民出版社，2003.

[責任編輯：楊玉潔]