Power and Money do not Substitute Love and as it denotes, it is a deep feeling expressed by Feng Menglong who was in love with a public figure prostitute at his tender ages. Sadly, Feng Menglong was incapable to bear the expense of repossessing his lover. Eventually, a great merchant repossessed his lover, and that marked the end of their relationship. Feng Menglong was extremely affected through distress and desperation because of the separation and he ultimately, decided to express his desolation through poems. This incidence changed his perception and the way he represents women roles in his stories. In deed, Feng Menglong, is among a small number of writers who portrayed female as being strong and intelligent. We see a different picture build around women by many authors who profoundly tried to ignore the important role played by them in the society. Feng Menglong regards woman as being bright and brave and their value should never be weighed against …show more content…
silver and gold.
Feng Menglong continues to illustrate the concept of love in his short story or poem “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger,” where money is given for exchange of a deep feeling for love. Money and the quantification of Human Relations in terms of silver coins in Feng Menglong's story, Chinese literature, is the profound work generated during the era of Yuan and Ming dynasties of creative narrative. In addition, throughout this spell, popularity of the vernacular narrative outstandingly cannot be overemphasized. As contrasted with the high degree of complex and conventional long-established fiction, vernacular narratives were build with a lot of flexibility and thus could well portray the amazing and sometimes sleazy literature of the Chinese life and cultural aspects of the ages, such as monetization of human relationships that came as a result of Ming dynasty's unparalleled success.
Feng Menglong's short story, "Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger," a portrayal of those ages, is a great example of the way
in a variety of scenarios, life became diminished to a chain of financial transactions. Contemplative of the mentality of the love of money as the order of the time, human relationships spanked of money fixes, and the eventual chances of human characters were dictated by their acquisitiveness or by small cases, we can use the word shortage to justify their actions. In contrast with those times where, based on the long-established tales of treatment, narration in relation to money and other differently irrational items were concealed over or omitted in totality. Such concealed information is effortful included in Feng Meng-long’s writings and his peers (Stephen Owen, Anthology, 834). Absolutely, the story of “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger,” is interested in a chain of merchandising exchanges that are primary to the storyline development. A prominently conspicuous hunted prostitute, Du Tenth submits to love with Li Jia, an upstanding but cowardly youth, skillfully negotiates with her madam the redeeming price in order to free her. This arrangements starts with the madam wanting get rid off Du's poverty-spanked chambers of Li Jia. The madam has realized that Li Jia has run out finance to spend upon redeeming her lover through her good manners formerly. In spite of the woman being from business of flesh, she surprising asks for three hundred dollars of silver only within three days which Li Jia finds it a problem to get. Du Denth persuades the madam on the number of days given to Li Jia and pleads with her to give ten. She convinces her that the duration of three days was a bit short and she could consider making it ten to have deal completed (Stephen Owen, Anthology, 839). Sometimes we wonder how such long negotiations can take place when the central subject is in fact a prostitute, furthermore working out to get out of the bondage of prostitution. The narrative extends on the same line of commoditization, with Du and Li looking for ways to help Jia get the funds asked for by directing their efforts to a fundraising. The story continues in detail to give us a glimpse from their first negotiation of three hundred dollars of silver requested by the madam, to the twenty dollars given to Li to outfit him. Following the fifty dollars in traveling expenses as collected by sister Du and eventually to the one thousand dollars of silver Li, over the long haul, Du was valued. The reader gets the whole picture as it unfolds in relation to the business transactions undertaken and is persistently reminded of the complication of sourcing these amounts of money. This is only compounded with the Li’s shame to implore funds from his relatives. A situation, which made him to stay clear from the whorehouse for six days; meaning he never, had a chance to see Du. Shockingly, Du and Li's relationship preceding to their journey away from the bordello are given little attention, and no solid incidents are detailed of at all to picture their affections romantically. The only moment when we get light into the tale is when Li is depicted as a squanderer and quick to judge situations appropriately (Stephen Owen, Anthology, 837). It is only by the heartache; they come into limelight as they try to solicit funds for their way out of their insolvency scenarios, which the actuality of their love is made manifest at all. Under these circumstances, no one manages to escape the fanatical materialism of the era. Irrespective of Liu Yu-Chun’ academic background, whom we see later handily rewarded for his faith in Du's meaning, began to doubt about the genuine idea she had in mind. She began to think that it was unlikely for Li to source such huge amount of amount because the madam was sure that the man had no source and probably, she did that to place him under impractical situations (Stephen Owen, Anthology, 841).
Feng Meng-long’s story, “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger,” authentically represents how money is valued between Du Tenth and Li Jia. The classic story brings forth how tradition and family values are upheld in the highest honor. The young master Li Jia, who is the son of a prominent local official, embarks on a journey to the Ming capitol of Nanjing with the intention of taking exams. During his travels he meets the beautiful courtesan named Du Tenth who is bound to her madam in a house of ill fame in what is known as the pleasure district. Li Jia, being an immature and unmotivated by any type of responsibility, finds himself splurging all of his travel funds on pleasures with the beautiful Du Tenth. The couple find themselves to have fallen in love with one other. Du Tenth proves to be a very smart and loyal character. She cleverly devises a plan to escape her bind to her madam and leave to be with her love. When the couple make their departure, they go on their journey to their new life together as husband and wife. Du Tenth continues to prove how smart she is by showing time and time again to Li Jia that she was very prepared for their future. The story tragically ends when the gullible Li Jia is tricked by the manipulating Sun Fu to trade his love, Du Tenth, for a thousand pieces of white silver.
Zora Neale Hurston’s The Gilded Six-Bits is a beautifully written short story about marriage and forgiveness. This story tugs at the heartstrings, as Hurston paints each scene with vivid imagination. The characters, their surroundings, and their behaviors are visually and emotionally illustrated.
Literature shows us the changes of our society from time to time. It also gives us an idea about people, culture, politics, gender traditions, as well as an overall view of previous civilizations. As a part of literature, poetry introduces us to different cultures with different perspectives. Ancient Egypt and ancient China may differ in terms of culture, politics, economic stability, tradition, or even in religious belief. However, in poetry, especially in love lyrics both Egyptian and Chinese poems portray common area of describing women, social attitudes toward love, sexuality and the existence of romance or selfishness in relationships. . If we look at the Egyptian poem “My god, my Lotus” and the Chinese poem “Fishhawk”, we will see both poems have similarities in describing relationships. Also, they have the similarity of imagining the lovers and their expression of love toward each other. However, both poems have some significant differences in terms of representing female sexuality, gender disparity and the display of love.
Often with the gain of monetary wealth, the decline of morality follows closely behind. This is magnified in the lives of Wang Lung’s three sons. The eldest son becomes obsessed with women and is eager to satisfy the desires of the flesh. For the rich, this is a common thing. Once you tire of the beautiful maid that has been given as your wife, once she grows fat and ugly from the children she bore you, it is acceptable if not admirable and encouraged to take on another. The middle son is an excellent business man. He is learned, unlike his father, and sent to be apprenticed as a grain merchant. Unlike his older brother, who is obsessed with keeping up appearances and seeming as a dignified scholar, this man would rather keep his money hoarded. As the eldest brother prepares a home befit for a dynasty, he complains that too much silver is being spent. While it is good to be frugal, greed is not an admirable trait.
...ot help but be torn by the strife and struggle the people of Fengjie are forced to accept as a convention on the mantel of normal behavior.
Is it because he was a woman that he cried out at the sight of a child being harmed? Did he not cry out at the death of his wife because she was a woman? The role of the female in this story reveals a sense of inferiority towards women. These questions that the story raises show how women were viewed as inferior and weak in the eyes of the Chinese culture.
In her “Instructions for the Inner Quarter,” Empress Xu speaks of Chinese women with a positive, almost prideful stance, claiming that morality is “actually rooted in our very selves.” She places strong emphasis on moral character and cultivation of self, and portrays the traditional expectations of marriage and motherhood as something to aspire to. “An upright woman of pure character,” she writes, “can be made the wife of a great family.” The societal role of womanhood is presented with appreciation based on circumstance, rather than concern or condescension. Women are expected to be modest, dignified, gentle, and honest, amongst a litany of other qualities which Empress Xu believes are essential. She claims that “The moral nature being innate in our endowment, it becomes transformed and fulfilled through practice.” While Europeans found the Chinese to be “morally deficient,” Empress Xu boasted the strong morality that she believed existed in woman’s
Gubar’s piece on female creativity allows the book The Good Women of China to be read through a more critical lens. Women in the piece are consistently taking a back seat to their stories until they are given the opportunity to share and be told that their experience is important. What Xin Ran offers to these women is a change to be heard. It allows them to be the painter and their tormentors the subject. One woman in particular, Jin Shuai, talks critically of the world she lives in and offers a modern insight into the tragic backbone of the other women’s stories.
...ot give happy ending to them, but show Du’s excellent and uncommon pursuing. The love that Du looking for is whatever love and death are both without regret. This emotion cannot base on gain or loss and advantages or disadvantages, but base on mutual understanding, appreciate and attract among people. This kind of emotional is the most pure in the world. In my point of view, she is a loyal woman, and knowing her own worth. She felt betrayed and abandoned because the money and jewels she carried with her was worth ten times to the amount of Li Jia trade her for. This shows that a wise and strong woman always has a second plan. Her plan for Li Jia was to set up dignity for him so that he can get back in good graces with his father. Since Li lets his father down by taking up with prostitute. However, Li lets Du down as well as the tough woman dies with a broken heart.
Janwillem Van De Wetering says, “Greed is a fat demon with a small mouth and whatever you feed it is never enough.” Guy De Maupassant’s “The Necklace” tells of Mrs. Mathilde Loisel’s longings for the finer things in life. Her desires are so intense she risks her husband’s affections, the friendship of an old chum, and even her mediocre lifestyle to pursue these cravings. One small decision based on an ill-placed desire causes a slow drawn out death of the spirit, body and relationships.
The impact (or lack thereof) of the Chinese Revolution of 1911 is seen throughout Lu Xun’s stories. In particular the works “Diary of a Madman”, “A New Year’s Sacrifice” and “The True Story of Ah Q” provided evidence of changes (or lack thereof) the revolution brought to China. Focus in particular was paid to the topics of filial piety, female chasteness and Chinese conservatism, respectively in each story.
All throughout the early part of history women were portrayed as the inferior sex, because at that point in time, women were seen as beings only born to have children. Men didn’t think that women were capable of being anything other than a typical housewife. It was unthinkable that women would actually need an education, let alone earn a living, or become a leader. These ideas are revealed all throughout classical literature. Rarely was a woman seen as doing anything but being dominated by males in some form, whether she was a man’s submissive devoted wife, a sexual object, or a woman being punished for wanting her freedom. We finally begin to see women trying to break free from these traditional expectations and barriers through the lives of Janie Crawford in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, John’s wife in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Louise Mallard in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, and Songlian in Raise the Red Lantern by Su Tong.
The classic novel, The Good Earth, is such a fascinating and pleasantly engaging as it communicates the interesting livelihood of a young man living in China, along with his old father, in a desperate search to discover his place within society. The book is captivating and draws the reader in to want to learn more about this foreign life. The characters within the story line are constantly evolving with fullness of personality that personalities could leap from the pages. If anyone has ever wondered about what the culture in China is like, then reading The Good Earth is undoubtedly a novel that assists in painting a vivid picture of China and its people in an individual’s mind. One of the main characters in the novel is Wang Lung. He is a farmer whose primary concern is cultivating his land and acquiring more of it. This land produced rich soil that inhaled the rainwater to produce a harvest to feed, clothe and shelter Wang Lung and his family. When Wang Lung worked and plowed his land, he was content and overjoyed with pride. His story is also tells of the ability and power what a focused mind can accomplish. Not only does Wang Lung’s story inspire accomplishments as a result of his wealth, but it also shares his strongholds of lust, deception, pride and greed. Initially, Wang Lung desired to maintain secrecy about monies he would earn for he and his family. However, eventually, he did mind broadcasting his wealth by adding additional bedrooms to his home, desiring his youngest daughter’s feet bound and purchasing a concubine. Men of wealth were well respected in China for they were considered to have good fortune as a result of their riches of land, jewels, silver, gold, fine c...
With the five characters listed and analyzed the motif is “Not all that glitters is gold.” Even though the three characters had happiness and wealth, deep inside they were miserable. Yet the last two were considered the noble, trustworthy, and loving characters.
Shan Te has hard time saying no to whoever comes to her asking for help, but men like Yang Sun take advantage of her generosity and loving personality to exploit her. Despite all the good deeds shen Te does to Young Sun, He bravely tells Shui Ta that “Shen Te is a woman: she is devoid of common sense. I only need to lay hands on her and church bells ring.”(56). Yang Sun statement shows no respect to woman probable because of the way the society has been stereotyping women to be devoid to common sense. The same statement can mean that in that society, a women can not hold important government position that involves making laws and policies. Yang Sun believes women are predictable and easily manipulated. He says ‘because I lay my hands on her breasts’’ (56) to be enough justification to why Shen Te is devotional to him. He thinks women are just like a machines that need to be touched on buttons to execute function. It is very shocking for Shui Ta, Shen Te’s double self of to hear a man’s perspective on a woman position in her society through her