This paper facilitates a conversation between a classical Chinese Zen Buddhist story and contemporary French feminist theory. Hélène Cixous' work is used as a mirror to explore the significance of...Show moreThis paper facilitates a conversation between a classical Chinese Zen Buddhist story and contemporary French feminist theory. Hélène Cixous' work is used as a mirror to explore the significance of the exceptional appearance of a nude female body and a celebrated vagina in this Zen text.Show less
The aim of this study is to analyse recent changes in masculinity and the relationship between masculinity and literature. Two novels of British 'ladlit' author Nick Hornby are discussed. In the...Show moreThe aim of this study is to analyse recent changes in masculinity and the relationship between masculinity and literature. Two novels of British 'ladlit' author Nick Hornby are discussed. In the first part of the thesis, the differences between traditional and modern masculinity are explained. In the second part, a comparison is made between the differing views on masculinity of Hornby's male and female protagonists. It is shown that while the male protagonists move from a traditional outlook on masculinity to a more modern one, the female protagonists go back to the traditional view. The study shows that Hornby's novels both strongly support a return to traditional gender roles and the old standards of masculinity.Show less
