“The Tiniest Mite Packs the Mightiest Sting”: Interpretations of Feminism in the Works of Roald Dahl

Abstract

In this thesis, three works by the beloved children’s author Roald Dahl will be discussed, namely Matilda, The BFG, and The Witches. To begin with, the adventurous life of Roald Dahl will be briefly looked at. As the primary goal of this thesis is to explore the feminist influence of the previously mentioned books, the historical background during the time of publication and feminist movement will be examined as well. In addition, the importance of good role models in literature will be explored, for in today´s imposing and fast-paced society it is vital for young girls to have strong role models to look up to. Each novel will be considered individually, and the focus will be on the female characters in the aforementioned books and the representation of femininity therein. The portrayal of different female characters will be examined in order to consider how it affects young readers’ concept of femininity. The characters in these novels vary from small but brave girls to frail women to monstrous and “masculine” women, and even to witches. Although the contrast between the characters is pronounced, each one is feminine in her own way. The adaptation of one of these works is also briefly looked at, to see if it furthers the feminist message of the story. As one character, Matilda, gets the worst treatment of all the protagonist, The Convention on the Rights of the Child is also briefly explained and how Matilda can be used to teach it to young children. Finally, the message of the books will be scrutinized to see if they have a feminist message to convey.