aise the Red Lantern (1991) by Yimou Zhang and The Wedding Banquet (1993) by Ang Lee specifically demonstrate perceptions of gender identity through a Chinese narrative. Zhang’s film examines the persecution of women and its harming affects. While Lee successfully creates an accepting story of homosexual characters Yet, he progresses in his portray of women. This paper will examine the issues of gender identity (specifically female identity ) in both films and argue that film can be used as a tool to change societal norms. Zhang’s Raise the Red Lantern is a melodrama that describes a young women’s struggle to adapt to her new life. After the death of her father, Songlian (Li Gong ) becomes the fourth wife of a wealthily lord. The topography
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He represents the omniscient presence of a patriarchal society. The women are not forced by the Lord to wound each other or compete with each other, his preseence is psychological. The women must please the Lord, to obtain some form of privilege in their homes. They make choices basised on his gratification. Zhang’s film is clearly a historical depiction of the treatment of women in traditional China. He is acknowledging the damaging repercussions of China’s past patriarchal concepts. Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet is a complex film to analysis. At first glance the film appears to be commenting on the treatment of the Other in North American society. Wai Tung has assimilated into North American culture and is trying to escape the constant pestering of his traditional parents. The film comments more on the ethnicity of the characters, with the film character’s speaking English and Twainese rather than the characters’ sexuality. Lee succeeds at producing a positive narrative that humanizes the Asian characters. However, the film’s portrayal of gender is …show more content…
At the building of the film, an elderly white couple gazes at Simon and his friend displeasingly. The film tries to embody a modern portrayal of homosexual couples, but continues the same damaging perception of females and the representation of the female in heterosexual relationships in cinema. Simon is portrayed as the stereotypical whinny girlfriend who waits on her husband and never leaves him, despite infelity. Lee continues the hollywood norm of normalizing male dominance. Even though, Simon and Wai tung are both male, they are given traditional characteristics. Either Lee does this to make Simon and Wai tung’s relationship more believable to an heterosexual audience or this is how Lee perceives gender roles in modern relationships. At the end of the film,Wai Tung’s father accepts Simon, the ending shot with the men on the dock. Represents both side accepting each other. Wai tung accepts Simon’s sexuality and Simon accepts …. when he reveals he understands English. While Wai tung’s mother believes that Wai Tung’s sexuality is just faze. Thus, The Wedding Banquet is an example of a film that does not change gender nors. Lee’s film doesn’t break the hollywood trope, it is a homosexual narrative for a heterosexual
He represents the omniscient presence of a patriarchal society. The women are not forced by the Lord to wound each other or compete with each other, his preseence is psychological. The women must please the Lord, to obtain some form of privilege in their homes. They make choices basised on his gratification. Zhang’s film is clearly a historical depiction of the treatment of women in traditional China. He is acknowledging the damaging repercussions of China’s past patriarchal concepts. Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet is a complex film to analysis. At first glance the film appears to be commenting on the treatment of the Other in North American society. Wai Tung has assimilated into North American culture and is trying to escape the constant pestering of his traditional parents. The film comments more on the ethnicity of the characters, with the film character’s speaking English and Twainese rather than the characters’ sexuality. Lee succeeds at producing a positive narrative that humanizes the Asian characters. However, the film’s portrayal of gender is …show more content…
At the building of the film, an elderly white couple gazes at Simon and his friend displeasingly. The film tries to embody a modern portrayal of homosexual couples, but continues the same damaging perception of females and the representation of the female in heterosexual relationships in cinema. Simon is portrayed as the stereotypical whinny girlfriend who waits on her husband and never leaves him, despite infelity. Lee continues the hollywood norm of normalizing male dominance. Even though, Simon and Wai tung are both male, they are given traditional characteristics. Either Lee does this to make Simon and Wai tung’s relationship more believable to an heterosexual audience or this is how Lee perceives gender roles in modern relationships. At the end of the film,Wai Tung’s father accepts Simon, the ending shot with the men on the dock. Represents both side accepting each other. Wai tung accepts Simon’s sexuality and Simon accepts …. when he reveals he understands English. While Wai tung’s mother believes that Wai Tung’s sexuality is just faze. Thus, The Wedding Banquet is an example of a film that does not change gender nors. Lee’s film doesn’t break the hollywood trope, it is a homosexual narrative for a heterosexual