Comparison Of The Modern Woman And The New Woman

In the beginning half of the 20th century, China experienced an intellectual revolution, known as the May Fourth Movement. Among other things, May Fourth thinkers were passionate about women’s rights, and fought for equality between the sexes. Like in any school of thought, ideas about women and their roles evolved over time. In 1925, Lu Xun wrote “Regret for the Past”, a story about Shih Chuan-Sheng and Tzu-chun, a modern couple whose relationship falls apart. Ten years later, in 1935, the film “New Woman” was released. The film follows Wei Ming, a music teacher whose life begins to crumble due to the machinations of a lecherous businessman. Both Tzu-chun and Wei Ming represent a version of the “modern woman, but their similarities and differences illustrate how the idea of the modern woman changed and stayed the same over time. One significant shift between 1925 and 1935 is the expectation of domesticity for women. One of the criteria for being a modern woman is that modern women ought to associate freely with men. When Tzu-chun breaks with convention to live unmarried with her lover, she is filling that criteria. However even as she defies all tradition to do this, she still falls into the role of homemaker. While her husband goes out and works, she spends all day working in the home. “The only pity was she was too busy. Her house— keeping left

It is clear in “Regret for the Past” that Tzu-chun draws her strength from her love for Chuan-Sheng, and his for her. “I thought if I told Tzu-chun the truth, she could go forward boldly without scruples...But I was wrong. She was fearless then because of her love.” The source of Tzu-chun’s strength comes from her relationship with Chuan-Sheng, and after he tells her he no longer loves her, she loses that strength. Her empowerment is shown to come not from herself, but from her partner, which contrasts strongly with Wei Ming’s complete independence from