New women——Analysis on the Four Little Women.doc

New women——Analysis on the Four Little Women Abstract：New women are those who take pride in being a woman.They give full play to their own talents while fulfill their roles dutifully.They boast independently and dexterously strike a balance between themselves and the opposite sex.While displaying their talents admirably and open up a brilliant career,they radiate engaging feminine charm.Therefore,they achieve way more happiness than the traditional ladies and wives because they are the master of their fates. Key Words：New Women,Little Women Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott(1832–1888).The book was written and set in the Alcott family home,Orchard House,in Massachusetts.It was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. The popular Victorian image of the ideal wife/woman came to be “the Angel in the House”;she was expected to be devoted and submissive to her husband.The Angel was passive and powerless,meek,charming,graceful,sympathetic,self-sacrificing,pious,and above all——pure.The phrase “Angel in the House” comes from the title of an immensely popular poem by Coventry Patmore.It became enormously popular during the later nineteenth century and its influence continued well into the twentieth.The poem was an idealized account of Patmores courtship of his first wife,Emily,whom he believed to be the perfect woman.The term angel in the house sprung into use in reference to women who embodied the Victorian feminine ideal:a wife and mother who was selflessly devoted to her children and submissive to her husband. I single out the second girl of the four to analyze the new model of female,Jo.For Jo,individual success conflicts with the duty and affection she feels for her family and with the domestic sphere that most women of the time accept. All the time,she has been exuding a masculine air.She changes her name Josephine into Jo because the name of Josephine is too feminine.She does not care how she looks,her dress,her hair etc.s