Abstract The analysis of female spiritual world is one of the subjects in the British literature. Doris Lessing truly reveals the sublimation of female spiritual world in her masterpiece The Golden Notebook. The thesis discusses the problems and confusions that the heroines of this novel are confronted with. The relationship with men seems like an overwhelmingly complex problem to tackle. What’s more, their social life also puzzles them and gets them involved in another dilemma. Also the thesis analyses how they begin to resist to fate, get rid of the shackles of traditional marriage and constantly explore for selves. At last, the thesis expounds men and women shouldn’t be opposed but complementary. 57799

Key words: defiance of marriage; exploration for selves; female spiritual world; freedom

摘要女性的灵魂世界是英国文学研究的主要课题之一。多丽丝•莱辛在其代表作《金色笔记》中，真实展示了女性灵魂世界的升华。本文作者在文本细读的基础上,解读了《金色笔记》中女主人公们在与男性的关系、社会生活等方面存在的许多问题与困惑，并深刻分析了她们如何开始反抗命运，摆脱传统婚姻的束缚，不断寻求自我的过程，最终阐明男女间的关系不应是对立的而应是相辅相成的关系。

毕业论文关键词：摆脱婚姻; 追求自我; 女性灵魂世界; 自由

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 2

3. Returning to Freedom in Rebellion  in the Female Spiritual World 4

3.1 The heavily skewed relationship between men and women 4

3.2 Modern women’s confusions in social life 6

3.3 Females’ resistance to fate 9

3.4 Females’ realization of the true freedom 11

4.Conclusion 13

Works Cited 14

1. Introduction 

Doris Lessing, born in Kermanshah, Persia, on October 22, 1919, is a prolific woman writer with great fame in contemporary England. She is the author of works like The Grass Is Singing, Children of Violence, The Golden Notebook, A Woman on a Roof and many other works, among which The Golden Notebook is widely acknowledged as her masterpiece. As one of the most distinguished female writers after Woolf, she has obtained a series of world-class achievements besides numerous Nobel Prize nominations. In 2007, she was awarded Nobel Literature Prize at the age of 88 and acclaimed as “the epicist of the female experience, who with skepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a pided civilization to scrutiny.” (Xia Qiong, 2003: 32) In Lessing’s long writing career, she has created numerous works whose themes, writing styles and form are of great difference. Her works feature unique styles, keen insights and profound thoughts, leaving the readers a deep impression. 

In 1962, Lessing began to enjoy a worldwide reputation in literature due to the publication of The Golden Notebook. This novel is the longest and the most ambitious work Doris Lessing has ever attempted to write. It is a masterpiece in portraiture of the manners, aspirations, anxieties and the particular problems of the times in which we live. In this novel, Lessing’s unique writing and the artistic expressions she uses, as well as her great concern on racism, colonialism and feminism have been sparkling in western literature. According to her own experience, she tries to use particular narrative perspective and detailed description to reveal the true living conditions，struggles and spiritual world of the females. She shapes two typical “free” women—Anna and Molly under her pen. They have independent economic income; they bring up their children on their own; they actively participate in political activities as well. In order to pursue their ideal spiritual world, they discard their loveless marriage without any hesitation. They are always longing for freedom and revolting the man-dominated society, which is recorded in the four notebooks, especially in the fifth, a gold-colored notebook.