Role of fallen woman/ character of Sarah
The figure of the fallen woman, initially clearly captured in the figure of Sarah Woodruff, is
transformed as the novel progresses and both Charles and the reader try to establish the
identity of Sarah and who she actually is. What is so fascinating about her character is the
way she is shrouded by mystery. The reader and Charles are never fully aware of her full
identity and story, and it is only possible to try and piece, jigsaw-like, the various elements of
her character together that are presented in the novel. Sarah initially is presented as the
traditional fallen woman who is an outcast from society because of her relationship with the
French lieutenant named in the title. However, as the novel progresses, she becomes
associated not with shame and being an outcast, but freedom and a resistance to living one's
life in accordance with the role given to one by society. Note what she represents to Charles:
He said it to himself: “It is the stupidest thing, but that girl attracts me. It seemed
clear to him that it was not Sarah in herself who attracted him--how could she, he was
betrothed--but some emotion, some possibility she symbolized.”
Sarah is a libertarian and free individual in the novel. In the preface of the novel, John Fowls
proclaims: “Actually, the theme of my novel is how a humble woman obtains her freedom in
a completely no free society.” Therefore, the constitution of the theme of this novel is
embodied from the heroine Sarah behaviors for pursuing of libertarian and freedom. With her
autonomous ideology, Sarah chooses to be a fallen woman, she makes up a love with a
French lieutenant as casual, which makes herself as “the French Lieutenant’s whore” or “an
outcast”. The people surrounding her are considered her as a shameful and deserted woman,
but Sarah seems never care for it, on contrary, just because of her such shamed behaviors; she
can enjoy liberation and freedom beyond the pale under such evils and notorious guilt. As
well, Sarah’s liberty will is also embodied the relationship between Charles and her. In the
novel, Sarah can choose her life style freely which is different from that “poor” woman who
lives in Victorian society, she can do everything what she wants to freely.
Patriarchy is a social system in which the man acts as the primary authority figure central to
social organization, and in which father also holds authority over mother, children, and
property. It implies that the system of male rule and privilege and entails female
subordination. Historically, patriarchy embodies itself in the social, legal, political, and
economic organization of a range of different cultures. Sarah, a woman who is lived in
Victorian age, suffers a lot from Patriarchy ideology and class system, but she pursues
economic independence and selfhood bravely, seeks for freedom constantly, all her behaviors
embody her desire for her own autonomy. Sarah is regarded as a seeker of selfhood and as a
rebel against tradition Victorian social system. Sarah is full of new ideologies in her mind,
which is regarded as a representative of feminism theory. Sarah thinks firmly that the gender
identity could be and should be challenged and transformed.
Sarah therefore comes to symbolise freedom from society's restrictions, and this is something
that Charles himself comes to identify with greatly. Sarah therefore is used to reinterpret the
role of the fallen woman through presenting her not as a character who is trapped in that role
but as a character who refuses to accept the role that society presents her with. Sarah, through
her determination to live her own life and to get what she wants, presents herself as an
empowered individual rather than a disempowered figure, which is traditionally the way that
fallen women have been perceived.
John Fowls’ famous novel The French Lieutenant’s Woman is considered as the classic
feminist mate fictional work. In this novel, Fowls successfully narrates the images of the
heroine---Sarah, who in order to seek her freedom and independence, constantly struggle
against the traditional ethics of the Victorian social system, even regardless of the cost of her
reputation. Sarah displays her determination to seek independence and freedom and lives on
her own way that she likes. She is regarded as a cryptic and loneliness individual, a rebel in
the Victorian age, a seeker of selfhood, independence and freedom by the way of her
constantly battling with the Victorian society system. She managed to realize her dreaming
life. Generally speaking, all her unique images and independent ideology make Sarah become
a unique woman in Victorian age. Sarah’s all kinds of inopportune ideas and behaviors bring
an in-depth influence and reflection to those women who are still oppressed by patriarchal
social system.
