The Incomplete Revolt of Female Characters in Cross-Cultural Literature

Abstract

This article uses a feminist lens to analyze Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Tang Xianzu’s The Peony Pavilion to examine the historical constraints for female elevation. Comparative analysis reveals that, in both Chinese and Western literature, social and cultural systems sustain female subjugation and undermine their autonomy. It demonstrates how Confucian thoughts and patriarchal systems offered solid backing to male dominance and female submissiveness. The paper evidenced this through the narrative and societal norms that interpreted gender roles. It argues that the tradition of marginalizing women from literary discourse is subjected to the power-based structure that establishes limits in their contribution. The research advocates that a study reinterpreting the roles of women and rights for women within society critically evaluate the portrayals of women in literature. This work is both an academic inquiry and a call for societal change. From comparative analysis, the differences between female characters from different cultures can be observed.