"La Traviata" is the debut of the famous French novelist Dumas, which is set in the July Dynasty period of France, the upper-class aristocrats who grasp the lifeblood of the country and hold a large number of assets, live a luxurious life of drunken gold fans every day, while the common people have to be ruthlessly exploited by the capitalists, although they work all day, they are not allowed to feed themselves. It was in this extreme life background that a love story was born that could be sung and wept, and the love between the famous Parisian prostitute Margaret and the young Armand died prematurely, more like a low-level person who had no way to complain, and relentlessly accused the era. As soon as this book came out, it directly caused a sensation in the French literary circles, and people felt empathy and sympathized with Margaret's tragic experience.
And the encounter with "La Traviata" is not the same, there is also the ancient novel collection "Du Shiniang's Anger sinking treasure chest". The author Feng Menglong lived at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and for many years he had contact with small people at the bottom, which made him feel pity and sympathy for the working people at the bottom. In the image of Du Shiniang created by him, although the ending of Margaret in "La Traviata" is the same, it has different choices. From Feng Menglong's "Du Shiniang", we can clearly feel that the tenacious spirit of women fighting for love under feudal etiquette is an extremely rare existence in the context of the era when women were weak and men were strong. Today, we will analyze the similarities and differences between Chinese and Western cultures from the tragic encounters of "La Traviata" and "Du Shiniang".
I. What are the similarities and differences between the status of Margaret and Du Shiniang?
Margaret, a beautiful girl born in a rural field. She represents the lowest level of the French July Dynasty. In order to make a living, it is also to find a life for themselves. She came to the beautiful and bustling city of Paris. The lights of high society are in stark contrast to Margaret's own impoverishment. In the face of the ruthless oppression of life, she seemed to be guided by fate and began her career of selling laughter. Although Margaret was in the dust, her eyes always revealed a desire for love, and the purity made her highly praised in high society, and there was an elderly duke who was willing to give her a sum of money to live. In La Traviata, it is said:
"Although Margaret lives a life of indulgence, her face shows a virgin-like innocence, even with some childishness."
Ten years of socializing has allowed her to see through the cold and warm of the world, and the hypocritical face of high society.
Unlike other socialites, she knew she didn't belong here and was leaving sooner or later, so she never gave up hope. She tried to save money, only hoping that one day, she would be able to meet true love and take her out of this muddy place. She was clever and unbridled, and she said:
"People like us, one day can't change the laughter of lovers, one day can't please their vanity, they abandon us." 」
In the materialistic high society of the time, Margaret was not lost in this luxurious enjoyment, but was trying to accumulate strength, break through the cage, and find life.
Du Shiniang's situation is the same as Margaret's, but the difference is that Margaret once had the opportunity to choose, and Du Shiniang was really forced. Du Shiniang was originally the daughter of an official eunuch family, because her father was framed and imprisoned, and the family had no financial dependence. In this way, Du Shiniang was sold into the Qinglou like a commodity and like duckweed. Du Shiniang was influenced by her original family, coupled with the various adjustments of the old bustard of the Qinglou, although she fell into the wind and dust, she was different from other Qinglou women, she was a flower queen, and she had the right to fight. Even this power relies on the old bustard of the Qinglou. Although she is in the Qinglou, she, like Margaret, has the expectation of the pure beauty of love. She was always waiting, the right person, who didn't want to be rich and rich, just wanted rough tea and light rice, Qinser and Ming.
In the face of the rich businessman Sun Fu's show of love, she said arrogantly:
"Mr. Sun talked about the market when he first met, really did not lose his businessman nature, do you know that there are still things in the world that silver money can't buy?"
Although Du Shiniang is a prostitute, she has a shelf of selling art and not selling herself. Relying on the protective umbrella given by the old bustard, the fans at the bottom are proud to see Du Shiniang's side. Du Shiniang's value is quite high, and there are not many male brothers who want to have a spring supper with her, but she can agree to it. Although the old bustard and Du Shiniang were employers and slaves, they also had to form a symbiosis. Therefore, although Du Shiniang and Margaret are both prostitutes, the status of the characters is very different. According to Margaret, once she left that social place, she couldn't survive. Although Du Shiniang is also a low-level small person, she relies on her own wisdom to fight for a world and freedom in that background. From this point of view, Du Shiniang was luckier than Margaret.
Second, what are the similarities and differences between the background of margaret and Du Shiniang's era?
Marguerite's time was a time of rapid development of the French July Dynasty. Apparently, King Louis Philippe did not realize what the consequences would be when the door was completely open to the upper nobility and capitalists. In the context of dumas's la Traviata, we can feel that there was no economic crisis in France at that time. Therefore, the tone of life throughout the country, as depicted at the beginning of the book, is that the upper nobility and capitalists enjoy every day and get nothing for nothing, and the poor people at the bottom work all day long and find it difficult to survive. This deformed form of life is doomed to tragedy for some people, and Margaret is the embodiment of the poor masses in Dumas's pen. In fact, Margaret is also Dumas himself, because his life is bumpy, and he grew up in this background since he was a child, making his words more resonant, so that after the end of the book, it will cause such a big sensation. From Margaret's tragic experience, we can feel that France at that time was class-oriented and polarized. And Margaret as a prostitute, she has no choice, if it is not the later Armand appears, perhaps waiting for her end, will probably be kicked away by high society as she ages. The poor have worked hard all their lives but are not respected, and the capitalists are drunk and gold-obsessed but make a windfall. Dumas's portrayal of "La Traviata" is based on this background and lays the background of sadness. It reflects the helplessness of all the little people at the bottom.
The background of Du Shiniang's era is the end of the Ming Dynasty. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, due to Wei Zhongxian's leadership of the dynasty, the corruption of the imperial court had long been getting deeper and deeper, and the people were more and more miserable under this power game. At that time, the literary scholar Feng Menglong saw the situation and used the novel as a sustenance. The struggle against feudal rule is transformed into a plump figure. And one of the most famous female characters is Du Shiniang. The status of women in the Ming Dynasty period was the same as that of the previous dynasties, under the influence of the background of the era of weak women and strong men, as Du Shiniang herself said: "Half a life, but a commodity." It is worth mentioning that after Du Shiniang's death, everyone around her gritted her teeth and beat Li Jia and Sun Fu. Here is not the kindness and kindness of passers-by, but thanks to the thinker Zhu Xi advocating Confucianism, the Ming Dynasty also reached a certain height for the spread of Confucianism. The core idea of Confucianism is that all people are equal, so seeing this woman being bullied like this will arouse the resentment of passers-by. It is also under the status of women, but Margaret in "La Traviata", who wants to say a word for her except Armand at that time?
III. What are the similarities and differences in the ending between Margaret and Du Shiniang?
The life of Margaret and Du Shiniang is that love brings them hope for life, but without exception, pushes them into the abyss. Margaret had spent years of savings, hoping to spend the rest of her life with Armand. She resolutely gave up the luxurious life of a drunken fan, and was willing to return to the countryside and spend a dull life with Armand. Porridge is also happiness. But under the shadow of the July Dynasty, where will there be such a smooth and smooth love? In the face of Armand's old father, Margaret was like a noble woman, and she spoke generously of her past, without any shame. Instead, it was Armand's attitude that made her feel a chill. Perhaps from beginning to end, Armand always cared about her identity. Armand's father, with a family face and his son's bright future, put pressure on Margaret. Margaret eventually gave up the love she had in her hands and became a loner, returning to the cold city of Paris, with a misunderstanding between her illness and Armand. In addition to the fleeting love that makes her sad, being buried in this city that makes her spurn is even more helpless. When Armand knew the truth of the matter, he saw Margaret's last words:
"Except that your insult is evidence that you have always loved me, I seem to feel that the more you torture me, the day you know the truth, the more noble I will appear in your eyes." 」
I think this is Margaret's final counterattack against the worldly feudal vision.
Du Shiniang was also "deceived" by the man, and finally jumped into the river with a treasure chest, and xiang disappeared. The ending with Margaret is substantially different. Although Du Shiniang was disheartened, she was free. No one but herself could stop her from seeking true love. She had seen all kinds of characters in the Qinglou, and as long as she didn't like it, no man could get into her eyes. Even the non-human beings who were entrusted in the end could not give her the happiness she wanted. She was also so generous, without too much explanation, and used her death as revenge for Li Jia and Sun Fu. She represents the poor women under feudal rule, while Li Jia and Sun Fu represent the feudal rulers. Although Du Shiniang died, she won people's praise and admiration. Margaret in this love, but completely failed, she lost in cowardice, lost in hesitation. Her superficial freedom cannot hide her inner bondage from the world. So she died a terrible death. After her death, the lights of high society continued, except for a bouquet of flowers sent by Armand in front of the tomb, who would remember that there was such a woman, who really existed?
summary:
"Du ShiNiang" and "La Traviata" are not in the same era, but they have similar tragic experiences. Du Shiniang and Margaret were two different rebellions under feudal rule. Du Shiniang was born to death, while Margaret quietly left. By reading these two works, we will find that in fact, the biggest common denominator of Chinese and Western cultures is not to use personal images to resonate. Instead, it uses "objects" as imagery and as a carrier for the spiritual sustenance of the novel. For example, Du Shiniang's treasure chest, how much value it is, no one has ever known, I am afraid that even Du Shiniang himself does not know. But it is a touchstone for testing the heart.
From the appearance of the treasure chest, to the final jumping river to find no trace. We can feel the despair of Du Shiniang. As it is said in "Peach Blossom Fan":
"I saw him rise up a tall building, I saw him entertain guests, and I saw him collapse."
It is this fleeting moment that will make the reader feel lost and think deeply. The same is true of "La Traviata", the white camellia is also the embodiment of the pure Margaret. She appears as proud and pure as Margaret, and in the end declines like the love she pursues. Putting aside the books themselves, higher-level thinking, the similarities and differences between Chinese and Western cultures may be the biggest gain.