Women of today are stronger. Their status is changing from the past to the present. Years ago, women are considered responsible only as wives. Simply listened to their husbands, became fulltime wives; they never enjoyed life and focused on how to serve their husbands, and no freedom to express themselves as women. Men believed that women have no right to pursue their career other than being homemakers and mothers; looked down by men. At present, women are more active in their role in the society, conscious about their status and they progress in view of their rights as well. They can speak freely, work for a living, and most importantly free to choose their spouse. In addition, women should continue to be strong, not allow some men to hurt them emotionally and physically, and work for equality with better future and social awareness. Women deserve respect, to earn their rights to equality.
The film entitled “Raise the Red Lantern” demonstrates polygamy happened in China during the era of warlords, before the civil war of the country. The film is an adaptation of the novel entitled “Wives and Concubines” by Su Tong, a well-known writer and author of his time. Polygamy is openly demonstrated in the film, shows how feudal society affects the women living unbearable lives, and how they survive due to inequalities and violence. The agonies of these women started when they got married to a master of the Chen family as they shared as their husband. One of the reasons of these women why they decided to marry the master is due to hardship. There is no problem for them as concubines as long as they have a wealthy living materially. The film demonstrated horrible events with personalities that are abused by someone with power in the family, the master. At first, the concubines are treated like royalty, received luxurious foot massages, and red lanterns are lit every time the master or husband visited one of the wives. However, the family has many customs and traditions followed accordingly. The movie has depicted events to make viewers realize the advantages and disadvantages of their culture and traditions; these are gender differences, view of women, view of men, and the violent scenarios. Specifically, these violent scenarios affected the behavior of women badly.
One of the wives or concubines discovered that not all of them received equal and luxurious treatments. On a daily basis, the four concubines wait for the announcement every night and the master decides whom he will spend the night with. The chosen concubine’s lanterns are lit; she receives the foot massage, her choice of menu during meals, and has the most attention from the servants. They have a constant competition against each other and always vying for the master’s affection and attention. Their interests did not coincide, the inequality between men and women differs, and its differences relate to the entire structure of class and gender inequality. Jealousy is out of control among the wives and a servant. The women in the movie are abused by their master. The act of adultery is portrayed; however, it is part of their custom. The adulterous act is the manner in which the feelings of women are tortured emotionally.
Under a feudal society, men are the masters of the family and possess the power as well. In addition, there are obligations set for women to oblige as depicted in the movie. Women should bear a son as part of the family custom. The time when the master focused more attention with his sons than with his daughter is considered as gender inequality. Men enjoys with children especially sons, the sons are to carry the future family lineage. If women cannot bear a son for his husband, then it is a shame and made her useless. In the movie, the first wife and third wife have their sons, the second wife a daughter and willing to give the master a son, and the fourth wife has nothing. Another thing women should oblige is to remain faithful with her husband even the men are not. The movie depicted unfaithfulness especially in the part of the master. The master is acting unfair to his wives, very unfaithful. He never thought that his unfaithfulness affects the feelings of his wives. The master is free to have more wives or concubines, can freely engage sexual relationship to some servants as he pleases to do so, and enjoys polygamous marriage. Again, this act is considered as emotional abuse for women or violence for women.
Indeed, the emotional violence has a negative effect for women. In the movie, even the fourth concubines noticed that the master has an affair with the servant; she cannot do anything about it. The only thing she can do is to treat the servant as a lowly person. To get things even, the fourth wife deceived the master telling him she is pregnant even she is not. Her purpose is to gain more attention from her husband and respect from the servants. However, it did not last when the servant noticed it and reported the matter to the second concubine who has a secret anger toward the fourth wife; the third wife lost all the amenities instantly. There is betrayal demonstrated in the movie, a betrayal for survival. As revenge, the fourth wife made her servant punished by the old tradition because of her mistake, became sick, and died eventually. Another negative effect is being involved to a forbidden affair that the third concubine in the movie has a secret relationship with the family doctor of the Chen family. However, the secret affair is discovered by the master. His discovery is again a result of betrayal done by the second wife leads to the death of the third concubine. The violence of this matter is brutal; the third wife is hanged to death, a merciless death. Her death is witnessed by the fourth wife and turned mad suddenly. The scenario in the movie shows how wealthy men are dominant, betrayal is everywhere, murder as a consequence, and no respect with each other. It is violence versus violence, completely.
In the movie, the women never noticed beforehand that they are just fooled by their master or husband. Following all the instructions because of family custom, doing all the commands given by the master like plain slave sex objects, punished with every mistakes done, and treated as lowly persons in the society. The luxuries they experienced are just a matter of temporary happiness. Deep inside they are tortured emotionally and mentally. They fight against each other not thinking they are victims of sex violence. They have no freedom to do the right thing. In general, women in the movie cannot control their own fate. They only strive with their own way possible to gain the favor of their master or husband, and trying to beat the other concubines just to survive the unhealthy competition.
The movie shows how rampant violent behaviors are. It is everywhere and whoever the victims are, it never controls the horrible things to happen. Men act violence against women and women act violence against women. Pitiful moments for the victims; they suffered agonies from their sole perpetrator of violence, the master, or husband. Sexually violated that caused chaos among the women or concubines in the family. They served the master that they cannot refuse; rebellious acts arise from women, and death for betrayals. All these sufferings experienced by women because of the struggles caused by the master or husband. These outcomes of the traditional culture lead to misunderstanding, disrespect, and cruelty among women. In addition, women live for sadness, mental pressure translated to mental violence, and lead to mental insanity.
It only shows how weak women are. Women do not have the same social status as men and they suffered all aspects of pressure. They traditionally followed the “three obedience and four virtues” of the Chinese feudal society. To obey the parents before marriage, to obey the husband and the son in widowhood are the three following obedience. The four virtues are morality, proper speech, modest manner, and diligence. The Chinese traditional education is not for women ability improvements, instead to let women obey men easily. The traditions are taught since childhood that made them not realize the rules given are not fair and never thought of any rejection. Men with multiple concubines are common before the People Republic of China is established. Women never go against their husband unless the women’s family are influential .
The film or movie demonstrates the different stories of the women’s destiny. The first wife just remains silent about the conflicts since she are far beyond contented or used to the custom and old to complain anymore. The second wife acted like a tame sheep but has dark motives toward other concubines just to win the attention of the master. The third wife, who is engaged to a forbidden relationship, her rebellious action against the master and she is hanged to death. The fourth wife, who deceived her master that she is pregnant, intentionally hurt the second wife physically, punished the servant to show that she is more superior to the other concubines, witnessed the death of one the wives, emotionally traumatized, and became poorly insane.
Women and men play different role in the society during the period before the Civil war. The effect of the Chinese tradition like feudalism still marked as one of the bases of their ancient traditions. Women play passive and weak roles in the society and men are more superior. Men violated and oppressed the women. People nowadays should reflect from the past to change for the better or think deeply about equality between men and women, respectively. Respect everyone, respect women, and know the fact that all human beings deserve respect. With the changing world and some improvement of economic status, women whether victims, survivors, or the like, have the right to express themselves and be independent than ever. Remember that every person, rich or poor, regardless of race, gender, or status, we are the builders of our own fate.
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Raise the Red Lantern. By Su Tong. Dir. Zhang Yimou. Perf. Gong Li, et al. Prod. Chiu Fu-
sheng. China Film Co-Production Corporation, 1991. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yo8bvg0MAg.
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