《倾城之恋》与《傲慢与偏见》中婚恋观的比较-以白流苏和伊丽莎白为例英语论文

iiiAbstractEnjoyinggreatpopularityassymbolsofpopculture,bothJaneAustinandEileenChangfocusondescribingloveexperienceandmarriageofwomen.Althoughtheylivedindifferenttimesandsocialcircumstances,theirwritingskillsandthemesembracegreatsimilarities.AsoneofAustin’smostfamousnovels,PrideandPrejudicemainlydescribesthelifeandemotionalexperienceoffourcouplesinthecountrysideofEnglandinthe18thcentury.LoveinaFallenCityofEileentellsastoryofacouple’semotionallifeinShanghaiandHongKongduringtheJapaneseoccupation.Theessayisdividedintothreecharters,analyzinghowfinancialguarantee,feminineconsciousnessandmutualaffectioninfluencetheheroines’viewsofmarriagerespectively.Thefirstchapterillustratesthatmaterialfoundationplaysacrucialroleinthetwoheroines’loveandmarriage.ThesecondchaptershowsthattheawakeningoffeminineconsciousnessgreatlyinfluencedtheviewofmarriageofbothElizabethandBaiLiusu.Comparingwithotherwomenintheirtimes,theyarerelativelyrebellious.However,thelimitationoftheirfeminineconsciousnessmakesthemstillchoosemarriageasthefinalwayofself-salvation.Thethirdchapterloveintheirmarriage.Elizabethviewsloveastheprerequisiteofmarriageandshewillnevermarriagesomeoneshehavenofeelingsfor.However,sheissensitiveenoughnottofullysurrenderherrationtolove.WhileforBaiLiusu,sheiseagerforlove,butcomparedwithmaterialsafety,loveisonlyicingonthecake.ThroughanalyzingtheemotionalexperienceofElizabethandBaiLiusu,itcomparesthesimilaritiesoftheirviewsofmarriage.Theinnerworldoftheheroinesisareflectionofthatoftheauthor.Fromthatperspective,theresearchofthisessaymaybeofsomehelptothecomparativestudyofthetwogreatwomenwriters..KeywordsPrideandPrejudiceLoveinaFallencityviewofmarriagecomparison摘要作为都曾红极一时的流行文化符号，简·奥斯汀和张爱玲不约而同的将自己的笔触定格在对女性爱情和婚姻的描写上。作为奥斯汀最为成功的小说之一，《傲慢与偏见》以十八世纪的英国乡村生活为背景，主要描写了四对男女不同的的价值取向和婚恋生活。而张爱玲的《倾城之恋》则描述了在战争烟火下一对男女的感情较量和情感纠葛。本文共分为三章，分别分析了物质基础、女性意识和感情契合在两位主人公进行婚恋选择的过程中所产生的影响。第一章论述了物质基础对两位女主人公的婚恋选择都具有根本性的影响。第二章论述了女性意识的觉醒影响着伊丽莎白和白流苏的婚恋观，使她们跟同期女性相比具有一定程度的反叛意识，但其有限性又使她们最终仍将婚姻作为自我拯救的唯一方法。第三章论述了感情契合在两位主人公的婚恋生活中的地位。伊丽莎白将爱情看做婚姻的前提，没有爱情就没有婚姻。而对白流苏来说，她渴望爱情，但与物质保障相比，爱情也只是锦上添花的事。本文通过分析伊丽莎白和白流苏的感情经历和心路历程，比较了两位主人公在婚恋观上的相似点。作品人物的内心世界往往是作者内心世界的反映，从这个角度讲，本文的研究许对两位伟大女性作家的比较研究贡献些许力量。关键词《傲慢与偏见》《倾城之恋》婚恋观比较TableofContentsIntroduction 1ChapterI.FinancialGuaranteeofMarriage 5A. BaiLiusu:MaterialSafetyOvershadowsLove. 5B． Elizabeth:MaterialSafetyandLovePlayEqualRolesinMarriage. 7ChapterII.LimitedFeminineConsciousnessinMarriage 10A．BaiLiusu:RebelliousConsciousnessinMarriage. 10B．Elizabeth:IndependenceandEqualityinMarriage. 13ChapterIII.MutualAffectionandSpiritualHappiness 16A. BaiLiusu:LoveisFeebleforMarriage. 16B. Elizabeth:LoveisIndispensableforMarriage. 18Conclusion 22Notes 24Bibliography……………..……...25PAGE24IntroductionLoveandmarriagearetwooftheeverlastingthemesofliteraryworks.NomatterinChinesecultureorinwesternculture,loveandmarriagearemajorcarriersofhumanandhumanity.JaneAustenwasregardedasoneofthemostoutstandingBritishauthoresseswhoseliterarythemeismainlyconcentratedonloveandmarriage.Hernovelsfocusondescribingthetranquillifeofgentry,clergies,andlandowners.Shewrotefromwomen’spointofviewtoillustratelove,marriage,andtrivialdailythings.Janearrangedherworkswithhercomicirony,humorandsensitivitytoexpressherviewofloveandmarriage.Shewastheonlyimportantauthorwhoseemedtobeuntouchedbythepolitical,intellectual,artisticrevolutionsduringherperiodoftime.JaneAustenwasborninapatricianfamily.Shereceivedafewyearsofschooleducationandthencontinuedherstudyathome,mainlybywidelyreadinganddiscussionwithherbrothersandsomeotheryoungmenwhosheknewthroughherfather.Shefellinlovewithayoungmanwhenshewastwenty-six,butonlyendedinhissuddendeath.Shelivedherlifealonewithoutgettingmarried.Duringherperiodoftime,womenhadlowersocialstatusthanmen.Menwerethedominantpowerinbotheconomyandpolitics.Womenwerenotallowedinmostoccupations.Allawomancoulddoseemedtobeexpectingagoodhusbandwithagoodfortunetomarryandsupportthem.However,heroinesinJaneAusten’snovelsareoftenrebellious,independent,intelligent,andhumorous.Theyseekfortrueloveandamarriagebasednotonlyonmoneybutmoreimportantly,onloveandration.Similarly,therewasalsoawomanwriterinChineseliteraturewhoseworksweremainlyfocusedonexploitingtheessenceofloveandmarriage.ThisisEileenChang.ShewasborninShanghaionSeptember30th,1920.HerfamilywasoncearenownedclanwhichatthetimeofEileen’sbirthcouldnotprotectitselffromdecay.Eileen’schildhoodwasnotahappystory.Asagirlgrowingupinsuchabigfamily,shewasnotpaidtoomuchattention,evenherbabysitterwasteasedbythatofherbrother’s.Familyconflicts,herownfailureofmarriageandsocialcircumstancesledtoherpessimismtowardlove,familyandthewholesociety.Buthermotherandaunt’sindependencecultivatedherconsciousnessoffreedom.Eileen’stalentinliterarywritingwasseenwhenshewasstillinSt.Mary’sGirlsSchool.Duringher75yearsoflife,shecompletedmorethan30classicessays.Sheisundoubtedlythemosttalentedwomanwriterinthe20thcenturyChina.Herkeyachievementishershortfiction,mainlystoriesaboutlove,desire,longing,helplessness,shiftinessandtreacherousnessinfamilylifehappeninginShanghaiandHongKongduringtheJapaneseoccupationperiod.Duetoherownfamilyandsocialexperience,heroinesinherstoriesarealwayshelpless,pathetic,tragicandevenemotionallydisturbedbecauseofthetortureoffamily.Hernovelsarealwayssetinabigfallingdownclan.Familymeansnothingaboutwarmthandlove,butonlytreacherousnessandcoldness.Womenarealwaysthevictimsofthefamily.Mostofherstoriesendupintragedy.ShevividlydescribesthetragiclifeoftraditionalChinesewomen.Andthroughthedescriptionofhowwomen’slifewasaboutinmarriageandfamily,sheclearlyillustratesthatthesufferingwomenendureispartlyduetotheirnumbnessandslavishness.Thisisthereflectionofherwomenconsciousnessinherworks,whichisdifferentfromthatofJaneAusten.LoveinaFallenCitywaspublishedintheSeptemberof1943,Eileen’sprimeofherliterarylife.ItisanoutstandingmasterpieceofEileenChang.ItistheonlystorywrittenbyEileenthatendsupinarelativelyhappyperiod.ThestorytakesplacefirstinShanghai,andthenmovestoHongKong.Ittellsataleofloveandamarriagesavedbywar.AsLust,CautionisregardedastheChineseversionofSenseandSensibility,LoveinaFallenCitycanbeseenastheChineseversionofPrideandPrejudice.PrideandPrejudicewasthemostfamousandsuccessfulnovelofJaneAustenwhichenjoysagreatreputationinChina.ItmainlydescribesthecountrysidelifeinEnglandinthe18thcenturywiththegoverningthemeofloveandmarriage.AsEileenChangwroteinthepostscriptofLoveinaFallenCity,manyreaderswrotehertoaskmoreaboutBaiLiusuandFanLiuyuan,hopingthattherecanbesomethingmoreromanticbetweenthem,whichmadeherunderstandthatpeopletendedtoloveromanticstories.Theywereusedtoexcludesuperficialfactsthatmadethemfeeluncomfortable.Comparingthesetwogreatworks,PrideandPrejudiceistheso-called“moreromanticstory”,thecomicseriespeopletendtolove.闫俊玲,对比奥斯丁和张爱玲作品中的婚姻观,赤峰学院学报,2010年2月,102页.Uptonow,boththetwoauthorsthemselvesandtheirworkshavebeenfrequentlyresearchedbyscholarsfromallovertheworld.OneofthemostimportantcriticalarticlesaboutEileenisFuLei’sOnEileenChang’snovelsinwhichheanalyzedthewritingskills,languagefeaturesandspecificplotsofEileen’snovelsthroughtheresearchofthreeofEileen’snovels.However,therealpopularityofEileenChangstartedfrom1980swhentheAmericanChineseprofessornamedXiaZhiqing’sHistoryofModernChineseFictionenteredmainlandChina.Inthatbook,ProfessorXiaexpressedthatEileenwasthegreatestwriterofChinaatthattime.Ifonlyshortstorywastakenintoconsideration,EileenwasevencomparablewithKatherineMansfieldandMackereth.AnotherscholarthatcannotbeignoredisChenZiShan.HehaspublishedmanybooksaboutEileen.Earlyto1930s,scholarsandcriticshadcriticizedEileenforthenarrownessofherwritingthemesandthecontractionofhervisualfield,butChenbelievedthatfromaEnglishbiographyEileenwrotein1965,inwhichshewroteaboutChina’smodernhistoryandpoliticalandculturalevolution,wecouldseeherbroadhorizon.Chinesescholars’attentiontowardJaneAustenfirststartedfrom1980s,andthenresearchofJaneandherworkscameincontinuousstream.Inrecentyears,theliteraryworld’spassiononJaneAustenhasnotwaned.ScholarsbegantostudyJanefrommorespecificperspectives,mainlyasfollows.Firstisabouttheviewofmarriage.Jane’sthinkingaboutlove,marriageandmoneyhasbecomeaclassictopicofstudy.SecondisaboutJane’sattitudetowardsenseandsensibility.Traditionally,peoplethinkJaneisarationalwriterwhoisagainstromanticideas.ButsomescholarsthoughtthatJaneisacombinationofrationandromance.Thirdly,researchJaneAustenfromtheperspectiveoffemininecriticism.Jane’snovelsreflectedsocialstatusofwomenatthattime,expressedherpursuitofequalitywithmen,andherworksandartisticachievementschallengedman’sdominantpositioninliteraryworld.ThefourthisaboutJane’slanguagearts.ThemostmajorfeatureofJane’swritingskillsisirony.Herbasicskillofcharacterizingflatfiguresiscombiningironyandrealisticdescriptiontogether.Shealsousesironytohighlightthecharacteristicsofroundfigures.Janeisregardedasthefirstnovelistwhoutilizesironytobreakdowntheperfectleadingheroes(heroines)inwesternnovels.ThefifthoneisresearchaboutJane’snarrativeskills.LastbutnottheleastisresearchingJaneAustenfromtheperspectiveofcomparativestudy.SomescholarshavecomparedPrideandPrejudicewithTheRedMentionwhilesomeonecomparedJaneAustenwithCharlotteBronte.AlthoughtherearemanydifferencesbetweenJaneAustinandEileenChang,andbetweentheirworks,agreatmanyofsimilaritiescanbefoundintheirnovels.ThisessaywillfocusonPrideandPrejudice,andcompareElizabethandBaiLiusu’sviewsonloveandmarriagethroughanalyzingtheiremotionalexperienceandpsychologicalchanges.ChapterI.FinancialGuaranteeofMarriage“Whilesocialadvancementforyoungmenlayinthemilitary,church,orlaw,thechiefmethodofself-improvementforwomenwastheacquisitionofwealth,women’srightswereveryscarce.”张伯香，龙江.英美经典小说赏析[M].武汉：武汉大学出版社，2005，2页.Thisisarealdescriptionofwomen’ssocialenvironmentinElizabeth’stimes,anditisalsotruetoBaiLiusu.Inthiscircumstance张伯香，龙江.英美经典小说赏析[M].武汉：武汉大学出版社，2005，2页.BaiLiusu:MaterialSafetyOvershadowsLove.ThestoryofBaiLiusuwassetinadownfallenfamily.BaiLiusuisthesixthdaughterofthefamily.Beingdivorced,shebroughtabigdealofmoneywithherandmovedbacktohermother’shouse.Afterspendinguphermoney,herbrothersandsisters-inlawstartedtodriveLiusuoutoftheirhouse.Justatthattime,BaiLiusu’sex-husbanddiedofpneumonia.Herbrotherswantedhertogobacktoherex-husband’s,inthatway,Liusuwouldnotstayatthehouse,andmaybeshecouldgetmoremoneyfromherex-husband’sclan.UnderEileenChang’spen,familyisfullofhypocrisy,duplicityandtreacherousness.Inthisfamilybackground,shewasparticularlysensitivetomoneyandfortunewhichinhereyesistheonlythingthatonecandependson.Thesocialcircumstancesalsostrengthenedherconceptaboutmoney.Althoughherfamilywasfallingdowninadoomedmanner,shestillhadtokeephersocialstatuswhichwasveryimportantatthattime.Shecouldnotgooutforwork,asshethoughtherself,“Butifshetooksomemenialjob,shewouldlosehersocialstatus.Eventhoughstatuswasn'tsomethingyoucouldeat,losingitwouldbeapity.”EileenChang.LoveinaFallencity.EileenChang.LoveinaFallencity.London:PenguinModernClassics(2007),P153Therefore,attherightbeginningoftheromance,moneyplaysacrucialrole.BaiLiusuwaseagertogetmarried.Forher,marriageisnotallaboutloveandaffection,butmoreoffindingprotectionofherfuturelife.Itissomethingthatcanprovideherawaytogetridofthecoldnessandcontemptofherownfamily.Itissomewhereshecanstayfortherestofherlifewithasenseofbelongingandwithoutothers’sarcasticwords.ThatisclearlyshowedwhenFanLiuyuanrentahouseforherbeforeleavingforEurope.Whynot?Wasitagainstthelaw?Thiswasherhouse!Laughing,sheputafreshgreenhandprintonthedandelionwhiteoftheplasterwall.Ibid.P156Fromhere,wecanseethatmaterialguaranteegiveshermoresenseofsafetyandbelonging.Itwasherhouse;shecoulddowhatevershewanted.Finallyshehadaplacewhereshedidn’thavetolistentoanybody’scoldwords.Intheirdealofemotions,BaiLiusuusedallherwisdomandtreacherousnesstowinherselfamarriage.Sheneededamarriageasaguaranteeofeconomicsafetyandacomfortablelife.However,LiuyuanjustwantedsomespiritualconsolationfromBaiLiusu,andhewasnotwillingtoboundhimselfwithmarriage.InLiusu’semotionalwarwithFanLiuyuan,shewascarefulenoughtonotletFanLiuyuangetanythinghewantedbeforeshegotwhatshewanted.Shewouldnotallowherselftolosebecausetoher,losingLiuyuanmeantlosingeverythinginherlifesinceshehadputallherlifeintheemotiongambling.Shedideverythingshecouldtowinherselfamarriage.WhenshecametoHongKongforFanforthesecondtime,afteraweek’ssweetlove,FanwasgoingtoEurope.InthehouseFanLiuyuanrentedforher,shebecameamistress.Ononehand,shewasafraidthataweek’slovewasnotenoughtowinFanLiuyuan’sheart,ontheotherhand,shethoughtthataweekwasshortenoughtokeepLiuyuan’sfeelingoffreshnesstowardsher.Thewholeprocessoftheirlovewasfullofsuspicionandinteravailability.WhattheyknowaboutloveisaskingbutnevergivingandsacrificingIbid.P156Undoubtedlytherewasloveintheirmarriage,butthelovewasneverpure.Alltheirlovewasbasedonthesatisfactionoftheirowndesire.Theywerebothcleverpeople,alwaysplanningcarefully.AfterBaiLiusu’sfirstfailureofmarriage,althoughshelovedFan,shewasafraidoflovewithoutmaterialguarantee.Forher,comparedwithsafety,loveisaluxurythatshecouldnotafford.Atlast,itisthewarwhichrealizedhermarriagedream,notherbeauty,notherlove,notherefforts.Thebrutalwarsuddenlybrokedownthewallsinsidethem,butitcouldnevertotallychangethem.Itmadethembelievethatinthisuncertainworld,theonlythingtheycouldrelyonwerethebreathintheirlungs,andthepersonwholaysleepingbesidethem.Thustheyachievedamomentofmutualunderstanding.Asdescribedinthestory,“Itwasameremomentofdeepunderstanding,butitwasenoughtokeepthemhappytogetherforadecadeorso”Ibid.P164.ThefallingofHongKongrealizedBaiLiusu’sdreamofmarriage,althoughwhathermarriagewouldbringtoherwasstillunknown.ThereissomesortofsarcasmasEileenwroteattheendofthestory,“Liuyuanevenstoppedteasingher,savingallhisdaringtalkforotherwomen.Thatwasagoodsign,worthcelebrating,sinceitmeantthatshewashisown—hiswifeinnameandintruth.”Ibid.P167ThisremindsmewhatcharlottesaidwhenshedecidedtomarryMr.Collins.Shedidnotchaseforlove.Allshewantedwasacomfortablehouse.AlthoughthismadeLiusufeelalittlesad,butitwasworthcelebrating,sinceshefinallygotwhatsheneeded—Ibid.P164Ibid.P167Elizabeth:MaterialSafetyandLovePlayEqualRolesinMarriage.InthebeginningofPrideandPrejudice,JaneAustenwroteasfollow.Itisatruthuniversallyacknowledgedthatasinglemaninpossessionofagoodfortunemustbeinwantofawife.JaneAusten.PrideandPrejudice.NewYork:PenguinClassics(2009),P2Financialstatusisalwaysthefirstthatcomestoone’smindwhentalkingaboutmarriage.ThestorymainlydescribesthecountrysidelifeinEnglandinthe18thcenturywiththegoverningthemeofloveandmarriage.Inthatperiodoftime,menhadthedominantpowerofthesociety,andwomen’ssocialstatuswaslowerthanmen.Womenwereconstrainedbyvarioussocialvirtuessuchasbeingmodestandreserved.Andalso,theydidn’thavemuchsayinchoosingamarriage.Menhadhigherpositioninbothpoliticsandeconomy,whichmeantthatwomen,toaverylargeextent,reliedonmenfortheirliving,sinceveryfewoccupationswereavailabletowomenandthosefewoccupationssuchasbeingagoverness,didnotenjoyahighsocialstatus,norwasithighlypaid.Besides,theydidn’thavetherighttoinheritfortuneunlesstheyhadnobrothers.Thus,women’sfatesweremainlydeterminedbymarriage.Sointhatway,tothem,marriagewasnotonlyamatterofmutualaffectionbutalsohowtherestoftheirlifewouldbelike.Choosingahusbandwithagoodfortuneseemedtobetheonlywaytofindaguaranteeforthelatterpartoftheirlives.Infact,atthatperiodoftime,marriagewasashortcutforwomentosavethemselvesfromfinancialpredicaments,thuseconomicsituationcouldnotbeignoredsincemarriagewithoutfinancialsecuritycouldputthemintopovertyagain.ElizabethisaheroinethatcreatedbyJaneAustenandisalsoherfavoriteone.SheoncesaidinalettertohersisterthatshethoughtElizabethwasaveryfavoritepersoneversincetheappearanceofliteratureandthatshecouldnotbearthattherebereaderswhodonotlikeher.Shehadthecouragetobreakconventions,soughtfortrueloveandspiritualagreement.Shebelievedthatmutualaffectionshouldbethebasisofmarriage.That’swhysheturneddownMr.Collins’proposal,andalsoMr.Darcy’sfirstproposal.Butsheistoosensibletonotknowthatifshefailstofindherselfahusbandwithafortune,shewillhavenothingtoliveafterherfather’sdeath.Therefore,spiritualagreementwithoutfinancialguaranteewasnotenoughforher.ThiscanbeseenwhenJaneAustendescribesElizabeth’straveltoPemberley.WhenElizabethsawtheastonishingnaturalbeauty,thehandsomely-fitted-up-dining-parlor,thewell-disposedground,theloftyandhandsomeroomsinPemberley,shethought,“Andofthisplace,Imighthavebeenmistress!WiththeseroomsImightmowhavebeenfamiliarlyacquainted!”Ibid.P214HereitwasclearthatsubstancedidbringsomekindofpleasantsensationtoElizabeththatsheherselfmightevennotnotice.AlthoughElizabethacceptedMr.Darcy’ssecondproposalmainlybecauseofherdifferentattitudetowardhimandmutualaffection,wecanstillseethathervoyagetoPemberlyplaysaveryimportantroleinchangingherattitudetowardMr.Darcy.Actually，itishervisittoPemberleythatmakeshermorematureandrealistic.WhensherefusedMr.Darcy’sfirstproposal,sheboremisunderstandingstowardhim.Andalsoshehadn’trealizedwhatherlifewouldreallybelikeafterherfather’death.SheknewthatMr.Darcyhadabigfortune,butshedidn’tknowwhatthebigfortunecouldbringtoherlife.However,afterthevisittoPemberley,shesawthesplendorofDarcy’slife,andgotadeeperglimpseatherpossiblefuturelife,thusthoughtbeingthemistressofthemanormightbesomething.HervisittoPemberleyplaysacrucialroleinchangingherattitudenotonlytowardDarcybutalsotowardlife,wheremoneywasaconsiderationthatshecouldneverignore.ItcanbecomeclearertouswhenJaneaskedElizabethwhendidshefallinlovewithMr.DarcyandElizabethansweredthatshemustdateitfromherfirstvisitofPemberley.Thoughitisjustajoke,wecanstillinferthegreatinfluenceshervoyagetoPemberleyhasonher.ComparedwithLydia’smarriage,itisnothardtoseethatmarriagemerelybasedonloveandpassionwithoutcertainmaterialguaranteeisIbid.P214ElizabethoncehadgoodfeelingstowardsWickhamtoo,butherrationtoldherthatshecouldnotfallinlovewithamanlikehim.SowhatkindofmanexactlyWickhamwas?Atthattime,Elizabeththoughtthathemightbetheloveliestpersonthatshehadevermet.Inthatway,whyshouldnotshefallinlovewithhim?ItisclearthatconsiderationoffinancialstatusplaysanimportantroleinElizabeth’sdecisionofgivingupherromanticideastowardWickham.Therefore,wecansee,intheeyesofElizabeth,thebasisofmarriageshouldbemutualaffectionandspiritualhappiness,butitisfinancialsituationthatfinallydetermineswhetherthemarriageishappyornot.ChapterII.LimitedFeminineConsciousnessinMarriageTheindustrialrevolutionin18thcenturyshookthetraditionalculturalconceptionsinBritain,butwomen’ssocialstatusdidnotfundamentallychange.Menwerethedominantpowerineconomy,politicsandallotherideologicalspherewhilewomenwereregardedasimbecileanddull.Girlswerederivedoftherightsofeducationandcareer.Alltheywereencouragedtodowereplayingthepiano,singinganddancing.ChinainBaiLiusu’stimewasalsoasocietywheremenwerethoughttobesuperiortowomen.InChinesefeudalsociety,womenweretrainedtoobey“thethreecardinalguidesandthefivevirtues”whichrequiresabsoluteobedienceofwivestowardshusbands.Inbothsocieties,women’sfatesweredeterminedbytheirmarriage.Wherethereisoppressionthereisresistance.ThefeminineconsciousnessofBaiLiusuandElizabethmadethemspecialcomparedwithotherwomenintheirtime,buttheirlifeexperienceandthewholesocialenvironmentfromtotalemancipationofmind.A．BaiLiusu:RebelliousConsciousnessinMarriage.InLoveinaFallenCity,BaiLiusuwasregardedasatypicalexampleoftraditionalChinesewomanwhowasslavishandnumbtowhattheysufferfromwhileshedidhavesomethingdifferentfromotherwomeninhertime.Sheusedtherestofherlifeandherdignitytoexchangeforapreservative--amarriagethatcanprovideherthefinancialsafety.Fromthetraditionalperspective,shewasweak,treacherous,andlamentable.Whatweusedtoignoreisthatshedidfightforherlifeandhappiness,butherlimitedcourage,experienceandwisdommadeherfinallychooseremarriageastheonlywayofself-salvation.Duringherperiod,women’ssocialstatuswasextremelylow.Theyhadlittlechanceinlearning,thustheirknowledgeandexperiencewereverylimited.Besides,womenwerestrictlyconstrainedbytheprinciplesoffeudalmoralconductaccordingtowhichwomen’svalueoflifeiscompletelydeterminedbymen.Whattheyshoulddoistotakecareoftheirhusbands,childrenandparents.Theyweretrainedtobeslavish,toobeyruleofthatpatriarchalsociety,tobetolerantofnomatterwhattheirhusbandsandthesocietydotothem.Thesocialsurroundingsgavelittlepowertowomentofightagainsttheunfairsocialsystem.Evenwomenthemselvescouldbeaccompliceofthepatriarchalsociety.WhenLiusuturnedtohermotherforhelp,shesaid,“Runningthishouseholdisnoeasymatter!Youshouldbearallthisinmind.Trytomakeallowances."EileenChang.LoveinaFallencity.London:PenguinModernClassics(2007),P115Also,Liusu’ssisters-in-lawwhoweretorturedbythedownfallenfamilypouralltheirangertoLiusu.Thesewerewomeninthatera.Theydidnothavetheconsciousnesstofightfortheirlifebutonlyusedwhattheyhadsufferedtotortureotherwomen.Theyfatesweretotallydependentonmen.EileenChang.LoveinaFallencity.London:PenguinModernClassics(2007),P115Insuchcircumstances,Liusureallywasaspecialwomanwithfemininerebelliousconsciousness.Herfirstrebelliousmovewastodivorcewithherfirsthusbandwhowasnothingbutapleasure-seeker.Forawomaninhertime,whentheywererequiredbysocialconceptstobetolerant,toobeytheirhusbands,andtoseeknospiritualhappiness,thiswasreallysomethingthatneededgreatcourage.AlthoughwesternideologywaspenetratingtoChinagraduallyatthattime,sincewomenweretrainedfromtheirchildhoodtotolerate,itwasdefinitelydifficultforadivorcedwomantowinother’sfavorableimpression.So,fromtherebelliousandadventurousmoveLiusutook,wecangetaglimpseofhercourageandconsciousnesstoseekindividualspiritualhappiness.Shemightnothaveaclearideaofwhatherlifeshouldbelike,sincewecaneasilyinferthathermarriagewasprobablyarrangedbyherfamily,butshehadthecouragetorevoltwhenshefoundoutthatshewastorturedbythelifeshewasliving,whichwasveryrareatthattime.Thus,wecanseethatatleast,shehadtheideathatwomendeservedspiritualhappinessinsteadofbeingsacrificeandslavesofmen.Herfeminineconsciousness,thoughlimited,wasalsoilluminativeaswecanseewhenherfourthsister-in-lawdecidedtodivorceherforthbrother.EveryoneblamedLiusuforthat,becaus