LIONS AND POLAR BEARS AND GENDER ROLES, OH MY! The Treatment of Women and Femininity in C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia and Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials

Abstract

From the earliest works of the genre, fantasy fiction has had a complicated relationship with gender and feminism. C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia is seen by many as a prime example of fantasy's patriarchal roots, with its strong adherence to traditional gender roles and controversial treatment of the character Susan. In contrast, Philip Pullman's 'anti-Narnia' His Dark Materials is often cited as an instance of pro-feminist fantasy, due to its engaging heroine, compelling female villain, and large cast of secondary female characters. When situated within the workings of the wider fantasy genre, however, the two series' seemingly oppositional stances on women, femininity, and gender roles are called into question. Using close textual analysis, this thesis examines the contrasts and continuities in the portrayal of female characters between Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia and Pullman’s His Dark Materials, in order to demonstrate how authors can unwittingly repeat patriarchal and misogynistic themes and narratives, even when their aim is to refute them. Show more