Linguistic Patterns of Gender Representation in the Novels of Iris Murdoch and Their Cinematic Adaptations

This thesis explores how gender is represented in Iris Murdoch’s novels and how these representations change when adapted into films. The focus is on both explicit and implicit linguistic markers of gender and how they reflect or question social norms. Two of Murdoch’s novels, The Bell (1958) and A Severed Head (1961), are analysed together with their cinematic adaptations. The study looks at how characters perform gender through language, behaviour, and relationships, and how this performance is shown or modified in films. Theoretical background includes gender studies and adaptation theory, especially the idea that adaptation is not just an echo of a book, but a new interpretation shaped by visual and cultural tools. Particular attention is given to how gender-related meanings are built through dialogue, narration, camera work, and character portrayal. The goal is to understand whether the original gender perspectives are preserved, reimagined, or lost in the adaptation process. By comparing books and films, the thesis shows that adaptation can offer new angles on gender identity and challenge traditional roles through visual and narrative choices.