| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | 第5-6页 |
| 中文摘要 | 第6-7页 |
| ABSTRACT | 第7-8页 |
| 1. Introduction | 第10-17页 |
| 1.1 Introduction to Elizabeth Gaskell and her shorter fiction | 第10-12页 |
| 1.2 Literature review | 第12-15页 |
| 1.3 Focus and structure of the thesis | 第15-17页 |
| 2. Single Women in Mrs. Gaskell's Shorter Fiction | 第17-27页 |
| 2.1 Three types of single women | 第17-21页 |
| 2.2 Single women facing social hostility | 第21-27页 |
| 3. Androgyny Shared by Single women | 第27-41页 |
| 3.1 Masculinity embodied in single women characters | 第27-36页 |
| 3.2 Femininity embodied in single women characters | 第36-41页 |
| 4. Significance of Mrs. Gaskell's Portrayal of Single Women | 第41-48页 |
| 4.1 Representing single women's state of existence | 第41-44页 |
| 4.2 Challenging stereotyped prejudice against single women | 第44-46页 |
| 4.3 Serving as a prelude to the succeeding feminist criticisms | 第46-48页 |
| 5. Conclusion | 第48-50页 |
| Bibliography | 第50-51页 |
