Abstract:Doris Lessing is one of the world’s most distinguished writer in the contemporary world. Her literary works, mainly concerned about the women’s living conditions in the modern society, relate the female theme with the specific social background, which enriches the connotation of feminism. Her representative work, The Golden Notebook, is a novel of women’s pursuit for freedom. Centering around the life of the modern knowledge females, it describes the survival dilemma of the “free women”, depicts their confusion and inner pain when pursuing freedom, and altogether gives a panorama of the women’s striving for freedom in the middle of the 20th century.

Through analyzing the dilemma the western free female encountered in The Golden Notebook and illustrating the way they had found, this paper proposes a new model to build harmonious sexual relationship. Men and women should make progress together.

Chapter One introduces the author’s life experience and her representative works. The second chapter introduces the connotation of liberal feminism, the development of this notion and feminism influencing upon Doris Lessing. The third chapter describes the dilemma liberal female experienced in detail. The fourth chapter points out the way to find freedom. The fifth chapter is a summary of the full text. Liberal feminism cannot help women obtain true freedom, and absolute freedom of women does not exist. Men and women have their own defects, they should learn from and communicate with each other.

Key words: Doris Lessing  The Golden Notebook  Liberal Feminism  Anna

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Introduction to Doris Lessing and Her Works-1

1.2 The Golden Notebook and Literature Review-1

Chapter Two Liberal Feminism-3

2.1 Connotation and Development of Liberal Feminism-3

2.2 Feminism Influence upon Doris Lessing-4

Chapter Three The Survival Status of Anna-5

3.1 Anna’s Free Life-5

3.2 Dilemmas for Anna-5

3.2.1 Failure of Writer’s Life-5

3.2.2 Dashed Political Ideal-6

3.2.3 The Loss of Romantic Love-6

Chapter Four Self-redemption of Anna-8

4.1 Process to Explore Freedom-8

4.1.1 Self-reflection of Liberal Female-8

4.1.2 Self-affirmation of Liberal Female-8

4.2 The Harmony Between Men and Women-9

Chapter Five Conclusion-10

References-11