Research on Gender Power Relations in the Marriage System: Taking the Images of Wives and Concubines in "Raise the Red Lantern" as an Example

Abstract

This article takes the images of wives and concubines in the film "Raise the Red Lantern" as the entry point to deeply analyze the gender power relations in the marriage system. Through a detailed analysis of the status, behavioral manifestations and interactions between the wives and concubines in the film, it reveals that under the traditional marriage system, men hold dominant power by virtue of their economic and social status advantages, while women are in a subordinate position of being dominated and oppressed. This gender power relationship is not only reflected in the material aspect, but more profoundly in the spiritual aspect, causing serious constraints and harm to women's physical and mental health. Meanwhile, this article also explores the social and cultural roots of the formation of this gender power relationship and its implications for contemporary society.