| ABSTRACT | 第1-8页 |
| 摘要 | 第8-12页 |
| Ⅰ. INTRODUCTION | 第12-29页 |
| A. An Introduction to the Life of Edith Wharton and her Novels The House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence and Ethan Frome | 第12-17页 |
| 1. A Brief Introduction to the Life of Edith Wharton | 第12-14页 |
| 2. A Brief Introduction to The House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence and Ethan Frome | 第14-17页 |
| B. An Introduction to Edith Wharton’s Writing Background and the Current Studies | 第17-21页 |
| 1. An Introduction to Edith Wharton’s Writing Background | 第17-19页 |
| 2. The Current Studies of Edith Wharton | 第19-21页 |
| C. Theoretical Basis: Gender Studies | 第21-27页 |
| 1. The Origin and Content of Gender Studies | 第21-22页 |
| 2. The Concept of Sex and Gender | 第22-24页 |
| 3. Patriarchy in Gender Studies | 第24-25页 |
| 4. The Concept of Masculinities | 第25-27页 |
| D. Thesis Statement | 第27-29页 |
| Ⅱ. FEMALE CHARACTERS IN EDITH WHARTON’S THREE NOVELS | 第29-53页 |
| A. The Common Features of The Three Female Characters | 第29-32页 |
| 1. Being Poisoned by the Patriarchal Thought | 第29-31页 |
| 2. Pursing Happiness and Freedom | 第31-32页 |
| B. The Different Destinies of The Three Female Characters | 第32-53页 |
| 1. Lily Bart in The House of Mirth—Beautiful Decoration in Patriarchy | 第32-41页 |
| 2. May and Ellen Olenska in The Age of Innocence—Rebels in Old New York | 第41-48页 |
| 3. Mattie and Zeena in Ethan Frome—The Tragic Female Spokesman in New England Countryside | 第48-53页 |
| Ⅲ. MALE CHARACTERS IN EDITH WHARTON’S THREE NOVELS | 第53-65页 |
| A. The Common Features of The Three Male Characters | 第53-55页 |
| 1. The Governor Addicted to the Dream in Patriarchy | 第53-54页 |
| 2. The Strugglers Lacking Courage | 第54-55页 |
| B. The Different Destinies of The Three Male Characters | 第55-65页 |
| 1. Selden in The House of Mirth—The Talker Seeking for “republic of the spirirt” | 第55-57页 |
| 2. Newland Archer in The Age of Innocence—The Victims in Marriage | 第57-60页 |
| 3. Ethan Frome in Ethan Frome—The Coward “Escaper” | 第60-65页 |
| Ⅳ. AN EXPLORATION OF THE DISTORTED FEMALES AND MALES IN PATRIARCHY BASED ON THE THREE NOVELS | 第65-77页 |
| A. The Fundamental Reasons | 第65-73页 |
| 1. The Division of Femininity and Masculinity in Patriarchy | 第65-69页 |
| a. Females—Emotional and Subjective | 第66-67页 |
| b. Males—Rational and Objective | 第67-69页 |
| 2. Gender Roles in Patriarchal Ideology | 第69-73页 |
| a. Females—The Homemaker and Mother in the Family | 第70-71页 |
| b. Males—The Machine of Making Money | 第71-73页 |
| B. The Common Goal of Females and Males—Overthrowing Patriarchy | 第73-77页 |
| Ⅴ. CONCLUSION | 第77-80页 |
| WORKS CITED | 第80-81页 |
| ACKNOWLEGEMENTS | 第81页 |
