西方批评界对文体学的分类常见的区分是卡特和辛普森在《语言、话语和文学》(Language,Discourse and Literature)一书的导论中提出的“形式文体学”、“功能文体学”、“话语文体学”、“社会/文化文体学”、“文学文体学”、“语言学文体学”等六种不同的文体研究派别 。女性文体学是“社会历史/文化文体学”的一支,是公开表明其立场的文体学,其目的是揭示性别差异在文本中的体现,从而使人们认识到性别歧视的存在,批评这种现象,提出改革的办法,呼吁人们向着男女平等做出贡献。女性文体学家关心意识形态和再现;她们也对揭露家长制的意识形态感兴趣,使家长制变得不自然。女性文体学借助系统功能语言学的及物性理论、女性主义、批评语言学和社会语言学等相关原理对文学和通俗文化中女性形象进行批评性地分析,从而透析性别主义的重构和再现。
迪尔德丽 ·伯顿 1982年对西尔维亚 ·普拉斯的《钟形的坛子》(The Bell Jar)所作的女性文体学分析堪称该类研究的发祥之作。而萨拉 ·米尔斯无疑是第一位公开标明其著作为女性文体学的文体学家。在其《女性文体学》一书中,米尔斯通过对文学作品、流行歌曲、广告等各类文本,在字词、句子、语篇等个个层面上,就性别问题进行了系统而深入地分析,为女性文体学分析提供了丰富的范例。
“One more thing,” he said to Daisy,takingher by the shoulders.He pulled her forward into thecircle of his grins and kissed her.It wasn’t a getting—to—know—you kiss.It wasn’t at all polite.It waspure passion,deep and hard,right from the begin·ning.He felt her respond,felt the tip of her tongueaganst his,and he crushed her closer,leaving nodoubt about his future intentions. When he finally released her and stepped backshe noticed £hat his satisfied smile was back inplace.“Good night,”he said pleasantly. “G’night,”Daisy said.Wow.(p46)
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