Raise the Red Lantern 1991 - Essay Example

Raise the Red Lantern (1991) Several films produced by Zhang Yimou in the twentieth century demonstrate his perspective on feudal ideology in China. One example of such films is Raise the Red Lantern. This movie illustrates the status of women and sadness they were facing under China’s old feudal system. In this system, women were viewed as men’s appendage and property. Additionally, men were allowed to own several properties, yet women were not allowed to possess anything of substance. Women were allowed to can have food, shelters and some beautiful clothes which were provided by their husbands. On the other hand, men provided care-free lives to women because they wanted women to serve them well. This situation is similar to the relationship between the authorities and the citizens during the old feudal period in China. This is attributed to the fact that autocratic governments do the same thing to their people. This paper shall demonstrate how women behave in order to adapt and survive in this feudal society. Therefore, we shall base our analysis on women characters in the film, Raise the Red Lantern. The film, Raise the Red Lantern demonstrates the perspective and reaction of five different women in the four-section compound under their husband and master’s restraint. The five women exhibit different characteristics in order to survive in the competitive environment. All of them are struggling to win their husband’s heart in order to be considered the favorite wife. This is because the most preferred woman in the household receives a lot of attention and respect from the servants. Additionally, she enjoys small favors such as having massages and being lit for the red lantern. The film begins with Songlian, leading lady in the movie talking to her stepmother about her intended marriage to Master Chen. Unlike other mistresses, Songlian is a young undergraduate student who cannot pursue her education further since her stepmother cannot afford her tuition fees. For this reason, she chooses to be Master Chen’s fourth mistress. Her decision to marry Master Chen depicts her as a traditionally educated woman who accepts her destiny and surrenders herself to the traditional power. Songlian is also a curious and pure woman in the beginning of the movie. When Songlian first comes to Master Chen’s mansion, she finds that there are several strange customs. For example, wives need to eat at specific dining room and wait at the center of mansion during the afternoon for Master Chen to decide which wife he will spend the night with. Other wives never questioned about these strange customs except Songlian. This depicts her inquisitive and curious nature. Songlian is a liar. After realizing that not all wives can receive same authority and luxury treatment from servants, she devises ways to make Master Chen loves her the most. She makes a lie that she is pregnant in order to receive maximum attention from Master Chen. However, her plans does not work since the truth eventually comes out and Master Chen orders her red lanterns to be concealed with black canvas bags. Songlian is vengeful. This is depicted when she reports to Master Chen that Yan’er was having red lanterns in her room. She did this because Yan’er was responsible for her secret being known. Yan’er is subjected to punishment by being made to stay outside in the cold. This punishment makes her ill, leading to her eventual death. Songlian could have revealed Meshian’s affair with Doctor Gao to Zhuoyun to avenge Doctor Gao’s revelations that she was not pregnant. On the other hand, Yan’er, Songlian’s maid is stubborn and has intense desire of becoming Master Chen’s fourth wife. Yan’er is naïve to believe that she will become Master Chen’s fourth wife because she has had an affair with him. However, Master Chen chooses Songlian as his fourth wife because Songlian is an undergraduate student. Although Yan’er already has an affair with Master Chen, she cannot be Master Chen’s mistress because of her social class. Yan’er is a miserable character in the film because no one really cares about her. For instance, when Songlian finds out that Yan’er has been keeping brightly red lanterns in her bedroom, Songlian is angered and makes an example of her by punishing her in front of the other wives and servants. Yan’er appears as a victim in the film because she is a maid and no one tries to save her even when she is being punished by Songlian. In the end, Yan’er is portrayed as a useful object to Master Chen and the other wives. Another female character is Zhuoyun, Master Chen’s second wife. She is a guileful woman. As a result of the patriarchial society, Zhuoyun does not have any authority in the mansion because she only has a daughter which lets her can not have any authority in front of other wives (Han, Xiaorong). Therefore, she devises ways of making her stay in the mansion relevant. That is why she becomes nice to Songlian in the beginning of the film. She wants Songlian to trust her. Moreover, Zhuoyun knows Songlian is young and fresh to Master Chen. Therefore, she believes Songlian will be Master Chen’s favorite for a while; thus, if she kind to Songlian, maybe Songlian would tell Master Chen how good she is. Zhuoyun is the most guileful character in the film because she uses Yan’er as her spy to keep eyes on Songlian, while at the same time pretending to be Songlian’s friend. Zhuoyun is malicious in the manner that she suggests for a doctor to check Songlian’s pregnancy. She knows that Songlian is not pregnant, and that the docyor would reveal the truth, yet she goes ahead and suggests for the intervention of a doctor. Yuru, Master Chen’s first wife is a traditional and strict woman. In addition, Yuru lived up to three rules and four ethics; that is, a girl should obey father, wife should obey husband, woman should listen to their children. She also believed in the Four Virtues that make up a good woman. These include; woman morality, woman behavior, woman outlook and woman exploit (Hershock and Ames). Yuru is also clever enough to keep herself out of the other mistresses’ battle. Although Yuru keeps herself out of the mess, she still has respect from the other mistresses and servants because she has a son. Yuru’s son helps her to consolidate her position and gain authority in the mansion. For example, when Master Chen is not at home, then she is the one in charge of everything in the house. Meishan is another essential character in the movie. She is Master Chen’s third wife. Meishan is a rebel and a woman who is willing to risk her life to pursuit of pleasure. In the film, she is only one who has courage to have an affair with another guy even though the cost of this action is death. Unlike Yuru, Meishan does not live up to the three rules and four ethics (Hershock and Ames). Meishan is also an arrogant and willful woman because she used to be an opera singer who used to receive lots of love from many people. Additionally, she was regarded as a woman of high self-esteem. For instance, at one day when Master Chen was staying overnight at Songlian’s house, Meishan asks her maid to go to Songlian’s house and asks Master Chen to go to visit her. She is a character who wants full attention from other people. In conclusion, the director illustrates five different characters and women’s reaction to their lives in the mansion under the influence of old feudal system. In order to get authority and respect from other people, the women in the film lie and cheat to each other. Every woman in Raise the Red Lantern is a victim of the old feudal system because their lives can not get rid of the old history. Therefore, Zhang provides the scene that Master Chen marries a fifth wife in the end of the film. This implies that everything has that happened in the mansion will start all over again. Works Cited Hershock, Peter D. and Ames, Roger T. Confucian Cultures of Authority. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2006. Project MUSE. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. . Han, Xiaorong. Chinese Discourses on the Peasant, 1900-1949. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2005. Project MUSE. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. . Read More