ABSTRACT:Wang Xifeng and Jane Eyre are heroines of the Chinese classic novel A Dream of Red Mansions and the English famous novel Jane Eyre. They both are very bright-colored and dazzling female characters in the world literature gallery. Though Wang Xifeng and Jane Eyre come from different times and different culture backgrounds, there are many similarities between them if the two females are explored from the perspective of feminist consciousness. This paper intends to make a comparison about the similarities and differences of the two female characters’ awaking of feminist consciousness who live in patriarchal society, with the purpose of exploring the main reasons which lead to their entirely different fates, making readers have better and further understanding of the two representatives of the feminist consciousness and the differences between Chinese and Western culture reflected by them, and revealing the profound influences of social environment on the awaking of feminist consciousness. 

Keywords: similarities; differences; awakening; Feminist Consciousness

TABLE OF CONTENTS

摘要

ABSTRACT

1 INTRODUCTION-1

1.1 Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre-1

1.2 Cao Xueqin and A Dream of Red Mansions-2

1.3 The Reasons for Comparative Study of Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre and Wang Xifeng in A Dream of Red Mansions-3

2 LITERATURE REVIEW-5

2.1 International Studies-5

2.2 Domestic Studies-6

3THE SIMILARITIES OF THE TWO FEMALE CHARACTERS IN THE AWAKENING OF FEMINIST CONSCIOUSNESS-9

3.1 The Challenge of the Patriarchy-9

3.2 Extraordinary Personalities and Capabilities-11

3.3 The Pursuit of Equivalence and Independence 14

4THE DIFFERENCES OF THE TWO FEMALE CHARACTERS IN THE AWAKENING OF FEMINIST CONSCIOUSNESS-20

4.1 Different Process of the Awakening-20

4.1.1 Wang Xifeng’s process of the awakening-20

4.1.2 Jane Eyre’s process of the awakening-21

4.2 Different Results of the Awaking-23

5 CONCLUSION-25

REFERENCES-26

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS-27