In most Chinese traditional court-case narrative, women often serve as negative social actors, and may even be the alleged cause of the degeneration of men＇s morality as the result of their seductiveness. In the late...In most Chinese traditional court-case narrative, women often serve as negative social actors, and may even be the alleged cause of the degeneration of men＇s morality as the result of their seductiveness. In the late Qing Dynasty novel Digong＇an, centred on the upright official Digong, there is strong evidence of misogyny by the author. Two female characters stand out from the story： one kills her husband with the help of her lover, who is partially justified by the latter being under the woman＇s negative influence; and the other is Empress Wu, to whom the moral downfall of the Tang Dynasty is attributed. Both women are subject to insult and threat throughout the novel. The author＇s attitude substantially relies on the sexist rhetoric prevalent in the Confucian idea of an ordered society, which usually took a negative outlook towards women partaking in public life. But for the latter we should also take in account that at the end of the Qing Dynasty a woman was, in reality, ruling the empire ＂from behind the curtain＂. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to deconstruct the author＇s misogyny, in order to shed a light on his criticism and connect it with a somewhat more political discourse.展开更多
The paper explores an ambiguous intersection between history and fiction in Scarlet Venice （Hi no Venezia, in original） （1988） by Japanese novelist and historiographer, Shiono Nanami （1937-）. As a prominent tran...The paper explores an ambiguous intersection between history and fiction in Scarlet Venice （Hi no Venezia, in original） （1988） by Japanese novelist and historiographer, Shiono Nanami （1937-）. As a prominent transnational writer who has worked on the Italian Renaissance and the Roman antiquity for about 40 years, Shiono fictionalizes the political culture of 16th century Venice in the context of the Eastern Mediterranean history. Based on her The Tales of the Sea Capital （1981）, historiography par excellence, the novel portrays the political maneuver of the Republic of Venice from viewpoints of diplomacy. With this thematic approach to history, the novel centers on the life and death of Alvise Gritti （1480-1534）, an illegitimate son of famed Venetian Doge, Andrea Gritti. In the metaphorical/metafictional structure of historical crime fiction, the novel unveils the austerity of Venetian polity, while contrasting it with the liberalism fostered in Sultan Suleiman＇s Ottoman court. In conclusion, the author interprets that Alvise Gritti is a victim of the political intricacy with which Venice was wrestling, implying that the republic is the metaphorical murderer. Whereas Alvise＇s death commemorates a drastic step taken by Venice for political negotiation, Shiono＇s recent writings suggest that Japan should model the rigid pragmatism in Venetian politics, along with its effective use of intelligence in diplomacy展开更多
Nathaniel Hawthorne was a famous writer in the period of American Renaissance. His works The scarlet letter can fully embody his mind for writing and artistic characteristics. This paper discusses the viewpoint ＂one ...Nathaniel Hawthorne was a famous writer in the period of American Renaissance. His works The scarlet letter can fully embody his mind for writing and artistic characteristics. This paper discusses the viewpoint ＂one might not be a real sinner if he was a sinner in law; while if one was not a sinner in law, he might be the real sinner.＂展开更多
文摘In most Chinese traditional court-case narrative, women often serve as negative social actors, and may even be the alleged cause of the degeneration of men＇s morality as the result of their seductiveness. In the late Qing Dynasty novel Digong＇an, centred on the upright official Digong, there is strong evidence of misogyny by the author. Two female characters stand out from the story： one kills her husband with the help of her lover, who is partially justified by the latter being under the woman＇s negative influence; and the other is Empress Wu, to whom the moral downfall of the Tang Dynasty is attributed. Both women are subject to insult and threat throughout the novel. The author＇s attitude substantially relies on the sexist rhetoric prevalent in the Confucian idea of an ordered society, which usually took a negative outlook towards women partaking in public life. But for the latter we should also take in account that at the end of the Qing Dynasty a woman was, in reality, ruling the empire ＂from behind the curtain＂. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to deconstruct the author＇s misogyny, in order to shed a light on his criticism and connect it with a somewhat more political discourse.
文摘The paper explores an ambiguous intersection between history and fiction in Scarlet Venice （Hi no Venezia, in original） （1988） by Japanese novelist and historiographer, Shiono Nanami （1937-）. As a prominent transnational writer who has worked on the Italian Renaissance and the Roman antiquity for about 40 years, Shiono fictionalizes the political culture of 16th century Venice in the context of the Eastern Mediterranean history. Based on her The Tales of the Sea Capital （1981）, historiography par excellence, the novel portrays the political maneuver of the Republic of Venice from viewpoints of diplomacy. With this thematic approach to history, the novel centers on the life and death of Alvise Gritti （1480-1534）, an illegitimate son of famed Venetian Doge, Andrea Gritti. In the metaphorical/metafictional structure of historical crime fiction, the novel unveils the austerity of Venetian polity, while contrasting it with the liberalism fostered in Sultan Suleiman＇s Ottoman court. In conclusion, the author interprets that Alvise Gritti is a victim of the political intricacy with which Venice was wrestling, implying that the republic is the metaphorical murderer. Whereas Alvise＇s death commemorates a drastic step taken by Venice for political negotiation, Shiono＇s recent writings suggest that Japan should model the rigid pragmatism in Venetian politics, along with its effective use of intelligence in diplomacy
文摘Nathaniel Hawthorne was a famous writer in the period of American Renaissance. His works The scarlet letter can fully embody his mind for writing and artistic characteristics. This paper discusses the viewpoint ＂one might not be a real sinner if he was a sinner in law; while if one was not a sinner in law, he might be the real sinner.＂
