作為或不作為一個女人，這是個問題︰以精神分析論瑪格麗特．艾特伍德之《可食的女人》

Abstract

此論文採用精神分析的觀點來閱讀瑪格麗特．艾特伍德的小說《可食的女人》。藉由精神分析的架構來探討書中的女主角瑪麗安對自己身為女人的自覺，以及分析瑪麗安作為一個歇斯底里女人的主體性。另外，此論文也將透過闡述到底作為一個女人會面臨什麼樣問題的過程中，重新檢視瑪麗安和其他角色的關係，並提出有別於其他評論者對女性氣質的定義。 全文共分成五個部分。第一章簡述此論文題目探討的重要性，以及對這本小說的文獻回顧和方法論的應用。第二章探討瑪麗安的欲求，除了解釋何以歇斯底里患者的身體為一充滿情欲的身體之外，也加以說明此欲望實為一未被滿足之欲望，進而探討瑪麗安的厭食與母親之間的關係。第三章探討瑪麗安對己身性別的困惑和他身為女人的自覺。在第四章中，我將提出瑪麗安和鄧肯之間的情感轉移是瑪麗安重新恢復健康和「正常」生活的關鍵所在。最後，經過一連串的探討，我們了解到作為一個女人對瑪麗安而言是什麼，並藉由精神分析的觀點重新定義女性氣質，因此在結論部分，我將綜合以上的論點來揭露小說的書名《可食的女人》所要傳達的訊息。

This thesis adopts the psychoanalytic perspective to analyze Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Edible Woman. Under the framework of psychoanalysis, we discuss the protagonist’s, Marian’s, awareness of being a woman and also her subjectivity of being a hysteric woman. Besides, this thesis will re-examine the relationship between Marian and other characters via the problems confronted in a woman’s life and offer a new definition of femininity. The thesis is divided into five parts. Chapter One describes the significance of the thesis topic, the literature review of the novel, and the methodology I will apply for in the following chapters. Chapter Two concerns what Marian desires. In addition to explaining why the hysteric’s body is an erotogenic body, I will further elucidate that Marian’s desire is actually an unsatisfied desire. In this chapter, I will also discuss the relationship between Marian’s anorexia nervosa and her mother. Chapter Three discusses Marian’s sexual confusion and what it is to be a woman for her. In Chapter Four, I want to prove that transference between Duncan and Marian is the key point for the restoration of Marian’s health and her “normal” life. Finally, after a series of discussions, we understand what it would be like to be a woman for Marian and redefine femininity in psychoanalytic perspective. Therefore, in my conclusion, I will combine the above theses to unveil the message hidden in the novel’s title, “The Edible Woman.”