IDENTITY OF WOMEN IN THAI CONTEMPORARY LITERATURES FROM 2007-2017: THE STATUS AND ROLE OF WOMEN IN ECONOMY, POLITICS, SOCIATY AND CULTURE

Abstract

This research aimed to study Identities of female lead characters in novels from 2007 to 2017 focusing on wives or lovers who played a role in terms of economy, politics, society and culture in their marriage or their love affairs. This is a qualitative research using content analysis to explore the female lead characters’ roles in the novels.

The study revealed that the female lead characters who economically rely on their husbands and maintain her role as respectable housewives have their own identity, self-confidence and emotional stability. While, the female lead characters who are wives controlled and dictated by their husbands, they show repression and low self-confidence. They don’t believe in their self-value. The female lead characters who rely on themselves and have their own career or a job in an organization, they portray as strong, courageous and self-confident women who love independence and have strong determination and persistence. As for political aspect, when their marriage has gender equality, the female lead characters will have straightforward, transparent and open personalities. On the contrary, those who are in a marriage with gender inequality will be repressed and self-conflicted. They lack self-confidence and they feel that they are not themselves. As for the society and culture aspect, when the female lead characters are in a marriage with virtues for a good household life, they will have psychological strength, strong determination and emotional stability. The female lead characters who do not have virtues for a good household life, they are narrow-minded with no emotional stability.