Lu Xun’s Shangshi can be regarded as a follow-up work of A Doll’s House. Actually influenced by Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, Lu Xun continued to probe the further meaning and truth of female impendence problem. Lao She, in terms of witting style, he made a precise comment on Shangshi. In 1958, Xu Qinwen’s paper Analysis of Wandering also made an incisive study of Shangshi. In 1960, as a famous writer and scholar of Lu Xun Studies, Tang Tao mainly studied the history of Chinese modern literature, especially about Lu Xun, and he believed that Shangshi was the real reflection of the two generations intellectuals’ different behaviors in the period of the May Fourth Movement. In 1981, Patrick Hanan, a western critic commented on Lu Xun novels’ skills in Shangshi, although the whole story was full of remorse, yet Zijun was never treated equally in the aspects of morality and affection. In 1991, Deng Dirong believed that Zijun and Juansheng’s foremost problem was not the threat from the attack of feudal family and the traditional custom.

This thesis attempts to explore the above two works from the perspective of feminism. It probes the awakening of women’s consciousness against different social cultural background. It compares the differences as well as the similarities of the two female protagonists in terms of female images，personalities and so on. Owing to different social background and inpidual personalities, Zijun and Nora’s fates were destined to be totally different. And it can provide a new angle for the further research.文献综述

3. An Introduction to Feminism

The word Feminism is from French and it first appeared in English in the 1890s. Feminism refers to the female experience, a major social theory and political movement. In addition to criticize the social relations, many feminist supporters focused on the analysis of gender inequalities and promoting the rights, interests and issues of women. The purpose of feminist theory is to understand the nature of inequality and focus on gender politics, power relations and sexuality. Feminist explosion includes discrimination, stereotypes, domestic distribution, oppression and patriarchy. (Butler, 1990: 23)

As a collection of movements and ideologies, feminism shares a common goal: to define, to establish, and to achieve equal political, economic, cultural, personal, and social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment. 

Feminist movements have campaigned and continued to call for women’s rights, including the rights to vote, to hold public position, to work, to get fair wage or equal pay, to own property, to be educated, to have equal rights within marriage, and to have maternity leave. Feminists have also worked together to promote bodily autonomy and integrity, and to protect women and girls from rape, sexual harassment, and domestic violence.源:自*优尔~·论,文'网·www.youerw.com/

After Ibsen’s A Doll’s House (aka Puppet House) came out, he caused a huge social repercussion and was regarded as a feminist. But he did not recognize the name that others imposed on him. In a reception where the Norwegian Women’s Rights Association held for him in 1868, he had a speech: “I am not a social philosopher like the one people think in general, but more like a poet. I must turn down the awards that I have once strived for women’s rights. I even do not know what exactly the feminism is. For me, it is a human rights issue ...... of course, it is a good thing to address women’s issues; but this is not my purpose. My job is to write.” (Clurman, 1978: 56) However, A Doll’s House at least conveyed some of the themes and implication: praising the women’s independent consciousness and brave behaviors such as getting out of the family to the community, getting rid of awkward position as a doll.

Feminism in China began in the 20th century together with the Chinese Revolution, and was closely linked with socialism and class issues. Some commentators believed that this close association was damaging to Chinese feminism and argued that the interests of party were placed before those of women; while others disagreed. Before the 20th century in China, women were considered essentially different from men. In criticizing the feudal clan system and the cruel old ethics, people could not help turning their attention to women who were in the bottom of the family system. They suffered from four chains of regime, theocratic, patriarchal as well as authority clan, and were more tragic than the oppressed men. In Chinese Modern Enlightenment, though some ideas and avocations did not point out the fundamental way to the emancipation of women, but at that time, these thoughts were refreshing, creating a momentum for women’s liberation. It was in this situation that Ibsen’s plays were solemnly translated, like a spark burned a bunch of firewood igniting a raging fire in China. In June 15, 1918, New Youth published Ibsen’s Special Works, including the play A Doll’s House. In the early of New Culture Movement, as an important classical drama, A Doll’s House was recognized and accepted by the intellectual realm. Lu Xun, Hu Shi, Mao Dun have all made comments on this play, and published literary works or critical articles about this drama. Many pioneers in New Culture Movement interpreted and made value judgments from different perspectives, which, to a certain extent, also reflected their thoughts of women emancipation in May Fourth period.