Abstract A room with a view, a novel written by E.M.Foster is an intriguing classic in the 20th century. The book tells the story in chronological order, which shows Lucy's change in the heart and growth to be independent. Lucy, as the British middle class, she observes the strict Victorian values, and her actions and words are under social constraints. However, Her trip in Italy gives her a new perspective, striking to her original values. Then, she sinks into the inner struggle between whether listening to inner voice in her heart or hanging on to the old morality. Finally, in a sincere affection from George and under the guidance of old George Emerson, her self-consciousness is awake, and she bravely chooses to pursue her love and lives happily with George.

This thesis is mainly aimed at the discussion of the Britain social constrictions on human nature reflected by Lucy’s inner change, namely, social boundary, patriarchal society, the oppression on women's self-consciousness of male chauvinism. Through the growth of Lucy, this paper discusses the importance of female self-consciousness, the pursuit of independence, freedom and equality.57634

Key Words: female consciousness, independent, Victoria’s values

 摘 要福斯特的小说《看得见风景的房间》是一部20世纪耐人寻的经典作品，书中按时间及事件发展顺序讲述了主人公露西的内心变化和独立成长的蜕变。露西作为英国的中产阶级，接受着维多利亚时代的严格的价值观，她的行为和言辞都被社会约束。但是，意大利的旅行给了她新的视角，冲击她原有的价值观。于是，她随后陷入了内心的挣扎，究竟要听从内心的声音还是墨守陈规。最终，在乔治热烈的表达爱慕和老艾默生的指点下，她的自我意识觉醒，独立的选择她爱的乔治，并和乔治幸福的生活在一起。

本论文主要研究探讨了小说主人公露西的内心变化所体现出来的当时英国社会制度对人性的约束，即有明显的等级分化，家长制的社会，大男子主义对女性的自我意识的压抑。通过露西的成长，论述了女性自我意识的重要性，对独立、自由和平等的追求。

毕业论文关键词：女性自我意识，独立，维多利亚时代的约束 

 CONTENTS

Acknowledgements i

Abstract ii

摘 要 iii

1 Introduction 1

2 The Constrictions of English Society 6

2.1 Strict Old-fashioned Victoria Values 6

2.2 Social Boundaries 8

3 A Place of Passion and Freedom 10

3.1 Beauty in What is Considered Improper 10

3.2 Expression of What is True 11

4 Lucy’s Growth from Being in the Room through Seeing the View to Being in the View 13

4.1 Ignorance and Indecision 13

4.2 Lost in Struggle between Propriety and Passion 14

4.3 Pursuit of True Love 15

5 Conclusions 16

Bibliography 18

1 Introduction

A Room With A View is a representative novel of English writer E.M. Forster depicting a young woman in the repressed culture of Edwardian era England. Set in Italy and England, the story is both a romance and a critique of English society at the beginning of the 20th century. A Room with a View is regarded as his most romantic and optimistic book. John Colmer gives high appreciation of A Room With A View that it is the most successful novel in his early novels. Merchant-Ivory produced an award-winning film adaptation in 1985. And in 1998, the Modern Library ranked A Room with a View 79th on its list of 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century.