This paper examines Rose Macaulay's novel The World My Wilderness (1950) as a reflective post-war narrative that utilizes the ruins of London as a significant motif. The novel delves into the complexities of memory, social morality, and the reconstruction of identity in the aftermath of World War II. Through the protagonist, Barbara, who finds solace amidst the bombed remnants of the city, Macaulay critiques the societal attempts to reconstruct a sense of normalcy while highlighting the moral dilemmas faced by individuals in a fragmented society. The ruins not only symbolize the historical and social memory of London but also act as a heterotopic space that challenges conventional notions of recovery and rebuilding. Various scholarly interpretations reveal the multifaceted nature of the ruins, suggesting they embody both trauma and the potential for hope. Macaulay’s portrayal of this heterotopia serves as a resistance against societal norms and an exploration of personal identity amidst chaos. The narrative intricately weaves together historical remnants and personal recollections, illustrating how the past continuously influences the present. Ultimately, this paper argues that The World My Wilderness transcends mere depiction of destruction, offering a profound commentary on the human condition and the enduring impact of war. Through Macaulay’s lens, the ruins become a site of reflection and a catalyst for understanding the complexities of post-war existence, advocating for a deeper engagement with memory and identity in the face of societal upheaval.

Jonathan Swift, an 18th-century English poet and satirical novelist, is dismissed as a misogynist for his anti-aesthetic treatment of female body images in Gulliver’s Travels and a series of scatological poems. Swift employed a strategy of depicting ugliness in female body images to challenge the conventional perceptions of women and the objective world held by male voyeurs or narrators. In Gulliver’s Travels, the passionate and lustful image of the female Yahoo with her disgusting filthy bodies subverts the traditional male courtship model and stereotypes of female physical attractiveness. Besides, his scatological poems, such as “The Lady’s Dressing Room”, “A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed”, “Strephon and Chloe” and so on, delicately depict women’s excremental vision in private space and the real state of their bodies from the perspective of male gaze, which not only surpasses the aesthetic confines of libertine tendencies prevalent in early 18th-century England but also reveals the concurrent existence of beauty and ugliness in the objective world. From Swift’s poems and personal letters, it can be seen that the purpose of uglitic appreciation of womanhood is not to disparage women, but rather to dismantle the pretension and ostentation built upon luxury consumption and the female image within the male aesthetic perspective. Swift's works are frequently misconstrued as expressing misogyny, yet in reality, his thoughts lean more towards a form of impartial misanthropy. Swift gets rid of Descartes’ mind-body dualism, emphasizing the integration of body and spirit in his works. He believes that physical ugliness is not limited to one gender. Swift’s poem “Cadenus and Vanessa”, published in the same year as Gulliver’s Travels, and his epistolary diary even hints that women have equal potential to men on a spiritual level. However, despite reshaping the female image and altering the paradigm of gender relations, Swift does not intend to subvert the social order; rather, he aspires to enhance the moral and spiritual realms of both sexes, particularly women. During that period, British society was contemplating the excesses of libertinism and luxury consumption, and embarked on a reform aimed at improving moral standards and public behavior, thereby enhancing social morality. Swift responds to the call for social reform through his appreciation of ugliness in his works, uncovering the ugliness of real life, and thus urging readers to awaken amidst the ugly yet authentic realities, ultimately fostering social progress and the refinement of humanity. Therefore, from the reflection of female body images to the hope for an elevation in the moral standards of both genders, misogyny and scatology ultimately reveals Swift’s sentiment of social reform.

Focusing on East Asia as the primary research subject and perspective, topics such as Sino-centric consciousness, political economy, literature and thought, and material culture have long been explored by scholars in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Among these, Korean women's poetry, written in classical Chinese, represents a form of extraterritorial Sinology. These works not only circulated in Korea but were also widely introduced into China during the Ming and Qing dynasties, contributing to discussions on Sino-Korean relations, literary and cultural exchanges, intellectual history, and gender studies.

This study, within the framework of East Asian cultural exchange, focuses on the adaptation of Chinese classical poetry in Joseon women's poetry. This phenomenon first appeared in the works of Heo Nanseolheon, who extensively employed Chinese literary allusions and Yuefu poetic themes. Her approach sparked debates in both Chinese and Joseon literary circles, with some viewing it as imitation or plagiarism, while others praised it for embodying the refined spirit of the Wei-Jin and Tang traditions, bringing significant scholarly attention to her poetry.

Later, Joseon women's poetry increasingly engaged in poetic exchanges with Chinese poets. Seo yeongsugak (徐令壽閣) was particularly notable in this regard, further expanding the adaptation of Chinese classical poetry. In addition to incorporating literary allusions, she employed techniques such as matching rhymes (次韻) and imitation (擬作). Her poetic responses extended from Tao Yuanming in the Eastern Jin to Tang poets like Li Bai, Du Fu, Wang Wei, and Meng Haoran, and later figures such as Su Shi and Lu You .

Why did Seo yeongsugak engage in poetic exchanges and imitations of these Chinese classical poets and their works? What unique characteristics can be found in her matching-rhyme and imitation poems of Chinese literati poetry? Does her work inherit and innovate upon Heo Nanseolheon’s poetry? Additionally, by comparing the poetic exchanges and literary allusions of Chinese women poets with their male counterparts, can we reveal distinctive creative patterns within this transnational poetic tradition?

And why was Seo yeongsugak able to access such a vast number of Chinese literati poems? Can this offer insights into the circulation and reception of poetic texts between China and Joseon? These are important questions that worthy of further exploration.

Relevant research has been conducted by scholars such as Zhang Bowei, Zuo Jiang, and Hao Xiguang. It is hoped that further discussions can be made based on the achievements of these predecessors.

This study delves into the construction of female identity in the literary works of two prominent authors, Isabel Allende from Chile and Ding Ling from China. Despite the vast geographical and cultural distances between them, both authors have made significant contributions to the representation of women’s experiences, particularly during the 20th century, a period marked by rapid modernization and social change.

The central premise of this research is that the construction of female identity in the works of Allende and Ding Ling is a dynamic, evolving process. Rather than a fixed concept, their depictions of womanhood are shaped by resistance, personal growth, and the confrontation of societal norms. Both writers approach femininity from a historical perspective, using their narratives to reflect the broader socio-political contexts of their time—contexts that, while promising liberation from old oppressive structures, also gave rise to new forms of domination and control. Their work does not only portray the individual struggles of women but also engages with collective networks of resistance, highlighting the intersectionality of gender with other forms of marginalization.

This study adopts a comparative literary framework, grounded in feminist literary criticism, which allows for a transnational approach to understanding the similarities and differences in the way both authors depict female identity. The research examines the socio-political backgrounds of both authors—Allende’s Chilean context and Ding Ling’s Chinese context—using these settings to analyze how the evolution of female subjectivity is influenced by external forces, such as class, politics, and cultural expectations. Furthermore, feminist theories are applied to explore the representation of gender and the broader dynamics of power and resistance that are central to the authors’ narratives.

Through a close reading of key works from both authors, this study explores the common threads that emerge in their depiction of women’s struggles for autonomy and self-definition. For Isabel Allende, the focus is on multi-generational female genealogies, where women pass down knowledge, memories, and practices of resistance. Her protagonists often engage in acts of defiance against patriarchal structures, creating solidarity networks that empower them to reclaim their identities. On the other hand, Ding Ling’s works explore the evolving nature of female identity through a more fragmented lens, particularly emphasizing the transition from personal struggles to a broader engagement with political and social change, often marked by the rise of communist ideologies and the shifting role of women in revolutionary movements.

The comparative methodology allows for a richer understanding of how modernity, gender, and politics intersect in both writers' works, shedding light on the complex ways in which women’s identities are shaped by cultural, historical, and political forces. This study also acknowledges its limitations, such as the narrow selection of texts analyzed and the focus on contextual over formalist analysis, but it offers significant insights into the commonalities and differences between the two authors’ portrayals of female identity.