Subtle but Invulnerable: Feminists Breaking through Red Chambers and Prejudiced Pride

Abstract

The paper is dedicated to the analysis of differences and resemblances of feminism consciousness between Elizabeth Bennet and Lin Daiyu, the protagonists in Pride and Prejudice and a Dream in Red Mansions. The two works are considered pioneering greatly because female characters are of vital importance, breaking the narrative traditions. The paper, capturing this mutual transcendence, examines the two works through a feminism scope, and explores how social background influences feminism ideals by introducing the measurement “feminism applicability” for evaluation of Daiyu and Elizabeth’s respective feminism, and aims to argue that society determines, both shapes internally and affects exteriorly, applicability of feminism. By applying the comparative analysis method, the writer finally concludes that Ming-Qing and British Enlightenment triggers females’ recognition towards self, which contributes to their mutual emotionality; however, demand for rationality, females’ rights of speech and prevailing ideologies differentiate in two societies, thus their strength of need for self-judgement and autonomy is differed, resulting in different levels of feminism applicability.