摘要
本文主要探討威廉•福克納的小說《出殯現形記》和《八月之光》中女性角色的次等地位。福克納虛構出的約克納帕塔法郡即為美國南方社會的縮影。福克納的作品主要在反映南方社會女性的次等地位。二十世紀時，雖然女權運動不斷地在推動，在福克納所處的時代，女性從來就不能和男性所抗衡。
本論文一共四章。第一章介紹美國南方社會中女性的次等地位，本文根據文化研究來說明雖然女性地位已有提昇，但她們仍是男性的附屬品。
第二章，我將《出殯現形記》和《八月之光》中四位女性角色分成三種類型。第一類是班靄荻；第二類是班朱黛和萊娜•格魯夫；第三類是喬安娜•伯頓。除了用文化研究來探討這三種類型的女性角色是否不如男性外，也將引用西蒙•波娃的論述「一個人之為女人，與其說是天生的，不如說是形成的」，來說明女性的次等地位是社會制度造成的。
第三章，從文化研究的觀點來探討三類親子關係。第一類討論雙親冷淡的婚姻關係如何影響班達兒的人格發展。第二類探討父親嚴厲的教養方式如何影響喬•克里斯默斯對女性的態度。第三類說明即使無能的班安斯也有其做父親的權威，因為這是一個由男性所主導的社會。
第四章為結論，歸納出由於這個社會是由男性所主導，這個社會賦予他們權力把女性貶到次等地位，女性不可避免地不如男性。

Abstract
This thesis aims to explore the female’s subordinate position in William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying and Light in August. Faulkner’s imaginary County, Yoknapatawpha County, is the epitome of the South. Faulkner’s works reflect the women’s inferior status in the South. In Faulkner’s time, the Southern women were never on an even footing with their masculine counterparts, though there was continual improvement of women’s inferior status in twentieth century.
There are four chapters in my thesis. In Chapter One, I plan to introduce the women’s inferior status in the South and how their inferior status have improved but is still subordinate to men. The critical approach of cultural studies will be applied for this situation.
In Chapter Two, I categorize women in As I Lay Dying and Light in August into three types. The first type is Addie Bundren. The second type is Dewey Dell and Lena Grove. The third type is Joanna Burden. Each of them may demonstrate whether they are inferior to men or not. I attempt to use cultural studies and Simone de Beauvoir’s declaration “one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” to explain that the reason women are inferior to men results from their social system construction.
In Chapter Three, I focus on the parent-children relationship from the standpoint of cultural studies. The first part is Darl Bundren. I attempt to present how the parent’s indifferent conjugal relationship influences the development of children. The second part is Joe Christmas. My discuss focuses on the patriarch’s severe attitude of upbringing on his children will influence his attitudes toward women. And this influence is negative. The third part I am going to talk about is Anse Bundren. I plan to demonstrate that even an effeminate father has the authority on his children. The society is male-dominated.
Chapter Four is the conclusion. The male-dominate society relegates women to the secondary category. The subordination of women is because of social construction. Women are inevitably inferior to men because their society imposes this role upon them.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One: Introduction………………………………………………1
Chapter Two: The Unspoken Female Voices…………………………17
I. The Unspoken Voices─Addie……………………17
II. A Journey to Rebirth?─Dewey Dell and Lena
Grove ………………………26
III. The Outsider─Joanna Burden…………………38
Chapter Three: The Dominant Male Power……………………………44
I. The Unwanted Child─Darl Bundren………………45
II. The Outcast─Joe Christmas………………………56
III. The Master─Anse Bundren…………………………68
Chapter Four: Conclusion………………………………………………78
Works Cited………………………………………………………………83

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