反轉之男子氣概：夏綠蒂・勃朗特《簡愛》中男性的脆弱

Abstract

在浪漫時期，女性在兩性議題中通常都是被壓迫的那一方，而男性則是有權力的壓迫者。在維多利亞時代，女性已經有能力去反抗這樣的壓迫。而許多的評論家把夏綠蒂・勃朗特的《簡愛》視為是講述女性主義以及父權壓迫的小說。Sandra Gilbert 和Susan Gubar在 The Madwoman in the Attic (1979)的書中評論《簡愛》裡羅徹斯特對伯莎的壓迫是一種父權對女性的壓迫，女性像是永遠會被社會價值觀束縛只能掙扎存活。然而，我認為以上評論太過著重在男性對女性的壓迫，我們不能只看男性強壯以及有能力的那一面。我想著重男性在《簡愛》中男子氣概的展現。除了強壯的形象與父權之外，男性也能展現出脆弱、弱小的一面。在社會上，男性必需要成為一位完美的紳士、遵守各種社會規範，以符合社會大眾對男性的期待。在家庭中，男性還需要展現男子氣概(Masculinity)、身負養家活口的重任…等才能被稱為好男人。\n夏綠蒂・勃朗特在《簡愛》中重新定義了男子氣概，把男性的脆弱與無力也視為一種男子氣概的要素，推翻了維多利亞時代既有的男性價值。這篇論文會揭示社會期待與規範對男性造成的壓迫與限制，以及夏綠蒂・勃朗特在《簡愛》中對男子氣概的新思想與描寫。總體而言，這篇論文試圖探討維多利亞時代與《簡愛》中的男性價值與壓迫，並連結夏綠蒂・勃朗特塑造之新男性價值。

The gender issue is an important one in critical studies of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, and many critics have pointed out patriarchal oppression of women in their readings of the novel. For instance, in their influential "The Madwoman in the Attic" (1979), Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar believe that women seem to be everlastingly shackled by such a patriarchal socio-ideological chain. In this thesis, however, I argue that critics overemphasize the absolute male oppression of women. We can’t only focus on the powerful and strong figures of the male characters. I wish to revise this reading by suggesting the value of man in Jane Eyre. Instead of being endowed with absolute power and male chauvinism, men in the novel exhibit fragility and vulnerability. Men need to follow the rules of masculinity to be a wonderful man, and gentlemen also have their gentlemanly qualities to obey. In the domestic part, Men are expected to support the whole family and deal with the domestic things. Men, likewise, have great senses of stress by what society wishes them to be. They are forced to behave as wonderful gentlemen with masculinity to fit the social expectations. The family restrictions and social expectation to Mr. Rochester, which started from his childhood, caused his suffering today.\nMy thesis argues that Charlotte Brontë redefines the meaning of masculinity in Jane Eyre, and that she depicts men’s weakness and effeminacy. She uncovers the pressure which exists beneath the surface in Victorian men. This thesis examines the socio-ideological oppression of men, and offers a new value of masculinity in the Victorian era through Jane Eyre. Last but not least, it scrutinizes how Brontë’s characterizes her ideal(ized) man in the Victorian era, which follows a new idea of masculinity in the Victorian Period.