A Comparative Study of Female Imagery in the Poetry of Emily Dickinson and Zhai Yongming

Zhai Yongming and Emily Dickinson are two modern poets who are particularly concerned with women's issues. Both poets use a female perspective to look at themselves and the human world as a whole, even if in distinct ways. Previous academics have concentrated on the feminine imagery employed by Zhai Yongming and the feminine issues generated from Dickinson's natural imagery separately. This dissertation will investigate how Zhai Yongmings, and Emily Dickinson's poetry reject or criticize patriarchal-centered culture through female imagery that associates with sexuality and animality, and explore how feminine consciousness traverses geography, time, and nation. This comparative study indicates that for Zhai Yongming, women have recognized their own particularity and are seeking to break free of their confines but suffer from problems. For Dickinson, women have been so undervalued and subjugated by society that their voices of opposition are weak. This study establishes the framework for future research on women's poetry, proposing suggestions for comparing Chinese and Western poets, and hoping that scholars might use the imagery of both poets to re-examine the challenges women confront in society today.