| Abstract [eng] |
This thesis focuses on how identity in contemporary British and French women’s writing has developed since the times of second wave feminism, when identity in women’s literature was virtually narrowed down to gender identity and women’s identities more often than not were portrayed as discriminated against, alien and other in world dominated by patriarchy. The thesis addresses different aspects of identity explored in the work of four contemporary female authors: British Trezza Azzopardi and A.L. Kennedy, French Marie NDiaye and Marie Darrieussecq. It also articulates the structure of identity as it appears in the work of each author. The study suggests that Azzopardi, NDiaye, Kennedy and Darrieussecq address a wide range of aspects of identity in their work. Nevertheless, gender identity remains a significant preoccupation in their writing and is often explored together with other discriminated identities and their combinations (i.e. gender/race/social/class or gender/age/national identities. It is argued that self identity in the work of all four authors takes the form of the other in different guises. It is argued that a prominent concern with the exploration of self as other is the distinguishing mark of the latest generation of women writers compared to previous ones. It is the contention of this thesis that the change in the female speaking position has inevitably transformed the way the female speaking subject perceives herself and functions in discourse and culture. |
