Category Archives: Asian Literature

The New York Times article “Sprawling Cinema, Tamed to a Stage” by Charles Isherwood is a theatre review of a play “Throne of Blood.” The author of the article dislikes the play and critiques both the director and the actors performing on the stage. He says “…a new production from the Next Wave Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, would be as boring to look at as it is to listen to.” He also comperes the play with the film “Throne of Blood” made by Japanese move maker Akira Kurosawa. He states that even if the play is boring and static, the movie has a specific “atmospheric effect.” Also, it is “beautifully designed” and “offer[s] an eyeful of visual poetry.” I partially agree with Charles Isherwood. The play is very static and motionless which makes viewers a little bit bored. Also, the accessories used for decoration are very limited. However, actors’ costumes are chosen with good taste and harmony. The minimalism of action and accessories; however, keeps audiences focused on the play. In addition, the play takes viewers to different world; world full of magic creatures such as ghosts, world full of intrigues such as killing the king, world full of unfamiliar creatures such as samurais. It gives the audiences great opportunity to experience magical world and it is a good way of entertainment. And the most important, it forces people to think and decide if they believe that they are the masters of their own lives or if they are just powerless creatures directed by destiny.

Lesson for Women written by Ban Zhao is a set of rules given by a mother to her daughters and all the female family members. This text describes the role and duties of women in China around c. 100. The author divides the work into seven sections including: Humility, Husband and Wife, Respect and Caution, Womanly Qualifications, Wholehearted Devotion, Implicit Obedience, and Harmony with Younger Brothers-and Sisters-in-law.

First of all, all the women should learn how to be humble. They supposed to value family’s needs more than their own. They “retire late to bed, but rise early to duties” (B, 28). Even if they work really hard to clean, cook, serve food, and take care about children, they shouldn’t feel proud about themselves and tell anybody about their hard work. Women gain excellent reputations only if they stay humble, do all work they are expected to do and never argue with their relatives.

Also, the husband takes control over his wife. She is not only the housekeeper and babysitter but also a sex servant at home. Only one “thing” a man possess, no matter of his social status, is his wife and her services. So she can’t refuse to do her marriage duties. The control man takes over her is a sign of authority and lack of it can be seen as a lost of power for a man. “…wives must be controlled and that the husband’s roles of conduct manifesting his authority must be established” (B, 28).

In addition, since man and woman have different characters, their roles are also different. A man is valued by his strength while a woman is valued mostly by her beauty and gentleness. Respect between the wife and husband is mandatory in order to create a good couple. Even if “[t]he correct relationship between husband and wife is based upon harmony and intimacy, and conjugal love is grounded in proper union” husband is permitted to beat his wife. (B, 29)

Additionally, there are many qualifications which describe proper behavior of all women. First, woman words don’t need to be clear and clever. She just needs to choose her words with a special attention and care and avoid improper languages. Second, she needs to keep her head and body clean and fresh. Her clothes should be washed with special care and always be in good condition. Third, wife supposes to cook and serve not only for family but also all guests who visit the house. Last, there is an image of a woman who can’t survive without a relationship with a man.

Moreover, even if a husband can remarry, there is no permission for a wife to do so. Woman is strongly depended on her husband “[t]o obtain the love of one man is the crown of a woman’s life; to lose the love of one man is to miss the aim in woman’s life” (B, 30). Also, ladies can’t flirt with men or use other methods to be close to them. They can’t even make groups with other ladies and discuss different aspect or laugh as well.

Last but not least, wife has to stay in good relationship with her husband’s family. If the mother-in-law says something the wife can’t criticize her and can’t do anything against her. Even if the directions are wrong, wife can’t ignore them. Also, she has to keep good relationship with her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. It can be extremely helpful in order to stay in good mental condition and make life at home less complicated and sustainable. “[T]he praise and the blame of a woman alike depends upon younger brother-and sister-in law (B, 31).” In some cases family-in-law can banish the wife which cause many trouble in her life.

Similarly, the article “For Afghan Wives, a Desperate, Fiery Way Out” by Alissa J. Rubin is about marginalization of the woman’s role in the society. As the author mentioned, arranged marriages are very popular in Afghanistan. Girls get married mostly in their childhood or as teenagers. Their main duties are to cook, clean, serve, take care about the children and husband’s family members. Very often, wives are abused by their husbands or husband’s family. “Violence in the lives of Afghanistan’s women comes from everywhere: from her father or brother, from her husband, from her father-in-law, from her mother-in-law and sister-in-law.” It leads to depression of the woman and in extremely cases can also lead to suicide by placing themselves into a fire.

Lessons for Women is written by Ban Zhao. It originates from China in around c.90 and consider as the oldest female conduct book. It is written for, as claims, her female family’s members. But many people insist that it is written towards all the women living in that era. The main idea of this book is to teach all the women, especially wives how to behave in the family. She includes these ideas by organizing the texts into seven different segments: Humility, Husband and wife, Respect and Caution, Womanly Qualifications Wholehearted Devotion, Implicit Obedience, Harmony with Younger Brothers-and Sister-in-law.

Women are bound to follow traditional rules and regulations. They are to take care and all the household chores. Besides they need to be very respectful to their husband, “Let a Women be correct in manner and upright in character in order to serve her husband” (B, 28). Women should behave really carefully when they are around their husbands. If they disobey their rules they may get beat up. “If husbands stop not of anger, then they are certain to beat their wives” (B, 29). Unfortunately, they don’t have rights to protest when they are treated harshly. Furthermore, she stays in full control by their husband. “…wives must be controlled and that the husband’s rules of conduct manifesting his authority must be established” (B, 28). They are supposed to be humble and show always show respects to their elders. Man can be remarried; however, a woman cannot. In fact, they aren’t permitted to leave from husband’s home because it is considered as heaven, as people cannot run away from heaven anyway. Mother-in-laws also control their life by telling them what to do and what not to do. They must obey all the rules provide by their mother-in-laws without a question of what is fair or not. “Do that even if what she says is wrong” (B30). These helpless women follow whatever their mother-in-law says in order to gain the love from their husbands. “She must win for herself the love of her parents-in-law.” If they want to live in their husband’s house, they must be obedient to all these commands.

New York Times article “For Afghan Wives, a Desperate, Fiery Way Out” written by Alissa J. Rubin talks about the miserable life conditions of women. This article shows many similarities about the situation of women. Child marriage is very likely in Afghanistan. Besides, they have to do all the household chores, take care of their children and the whole family. They often get beat up by their husband’s. In addition, they have to be obedient to their elders specially their parents-laws. Farzana, married at the age of 12, often get beat up by her husband and abused by his family members. Once her father-in-law becomes very angry at her and challenges her to burn herself, a task that she is unable to do. This belittlement makes her angry and she burns herself. ‘“I felt so sad and such pain in my heart and I felt very angry at my husband and my father- and mother-in-law, and then I took the matches and lit myself,” she said.”’ She takes the challenge and burns herself to prove that she has guts. In addition, she desperately tries to escape from her situation.

For many centuries the role of women in a society has been a topic of intense and often grim debates. In the majority of the world women’s rights seem to be accepted and enforced. However, according to the recent article, “For Afghan Wives, a Desperate, Fiery Way Out” by Alissa J Rubin, the conditions of Afghan women have not improved much since the times of Ban Zhao. On the contrary, they might have worsened.

According to the Chinese tradition described in Ban Zhao’s Lessons for Women, on the third day of her birth a girl has to be placed below the bed; then, she is given a potsherd to play with. This practice reinforces the ordinary way of life in China according to which a woman is “lowly and weak, and should regard it her primary duty to humble herself before others” (B: 27). Similarly, “the choices for Afghan women are extraordinarily restricted” (Rubin, 2010). Their fate is decided in childhood and decreed by prearranged marriages. They do not have a chance for education, and the only role they play in the house is serving their husbands’ families.

Ban Zhao also teaches a girl to “put others first, herself last” (B: 27). According to the Lessons for Women, “a wife cannot leave a husband’s home” (B: 30) even if “others speak or do evil to her” (B: 28).  Therefore, a woman has to endure abuses and be wholeheartedly devoted to her husband. In addition, in order to gain the love of her husband, a woman has to win the love of her parents-, brothers-, and sisters-in-laws. So, a good wife cannot disobey or contradict her in-laws; on the contrary, she is obliged to sacrifice her opinion and submit unfailingly to the command. In the same manner, women of Afghanistan are often chided, abused, and beaten by their husbands, family members and in-laws. A woman is unable to leave a husband’s house either, because she might “be raped or put in jail and then sent home” (Rubin, 2010) to be shot, stabbed or stoned to death in honor killings.

Ban Zhao says that “by failure in good manners in other families [a woman] will humiliate both … ancestors and … clan” (B: 27). Many Afghan women feel the same way, because “it is shameful here to admit to troubles at home” (Rubin, 2010), and divorce will put a mark on the name of the family.  That is why the only escape from poverty, abuses, and forced marriages that Afghan women see is to commit suicide by burning themselves alive.

The classic of Asian Literature shows the importance of education. In the Analects Confucius is presented as a great teacher who wants his students to strongly think for themselves and study the outside world by learning the poems. He tells to his students “Little ones, why don’t you study the Poems? The poems can provide you with stimulation and with observation, with a capacity for communion, and a vehicle for grief” (A1045). Another example of importance of education is found in the Memories of Women by Lui Xiang but her argument is that parents should be the primary force educating a child. She is able to realized that the place where they are living is not the right place for her son so she makes every possible movement until her son was able to “played games of ancestor sacrifices and practice the common courtesies between students and teachers” (B24-25).

Similar to Confucius, Bill Gates “has made education-related philanthropy a major focus” (NY Times). He wants to rebuild the education system. He suggest to end how teachers are evaluated  base on their seniority and  on masters’ degree because he believes that it has nothing to do with the teachers’ capacity to increase students performance  (NY Times).  He also suggests rewarding teachers for teaching large classes and in need schools. And most important he wants to solve how “the nation’s $500 billion annual expenditures on public schools is allocated” (NY Times).

Mr. Gates ideas to rebuild our failing education system are excellent. However, in order to accomplish the task parents should also put their part. Parents can teach the importance of education the same way Lui Xiang did years ago. When her son returned from school before the class ended she gives the best advice fro her son she tells him “The superior person studies to establish a reputation and gain wide knowledge…. If you don’t study know now, you will surely end up as a menial servant and will never be free from troubles” (B25). After the lesson her son “studied hard from morning to night” (b25).  By combining the efforts soon we might have the best education system in the world.

NY Times:

Women in Afghanistan are looking to escape the cruelty of their family, but there is just one way of escaping and that is to a brutal and unimaginable act. These women are constantly abused by her in laws and husbands, and have no reaction to this except to burn themselves to death. Afghan women have limited choices and are believed to serve her husband’s family but this results to a disaster. The NY Times article states “Their family is their fate. There is little chance for education, little choice about whom a woman marries, no choice at all about her role in her own house.” With this being said, we can see that these women cannot fight back to their family.

This article is similar to “The Pillowbook”, Sei Shonagon has many thoughts but are only kept to herself. She does not tell anyone how she feels nor does she expect her book to be made public. Sei Shonagon includes much of what she sees and feels in her book and most importantly as she states “…when I have a good deal of time to myself and thought no one would notice what I was doing.” (p 258) Clearly, she does not want anyone to know how she feels. Sei Shonagon states “Since much of it might appear malicious and even harmful to other people, I was careful to keep my book hidden.” (p 258)

Women in Afghanistan setting themselves on fire is a way of expressing how they feel about their life and Sei Shongagon writing in her book is lettings all her thoughts out privately. Both of these acts display how women are oppressed in various countries and that they are not heard from by their words, but by their actions.

In “The Pillow Book”, Sei Shonagon depicts the life women had in medieval Japan. Through her stories and various lists, she demonstrates how women were not treated equal to men. From birth, women were seen as subordinate to men. Especially in the role of marriage, men were given full control. When describing depressing things, Shonagon writes about a husband who fails to come home because a court lady has taken him as her lover, the wife’s family says, “will he eventually tire of the women and come back to us?” (B, 251) . A woman’s role was to wait, while the man had the power to start the relationship or end it. Women were expected to respect and honor their husbands no matter what. Women had no opportunities besides to become a housewife. This concept has changed through time. In today’s world, women have gained the same rights as men and have become successful CEO’s and influential politicians. Unfortunately women in the Middle East have not joined in this advancement.

In the NY Times article ” For Afghan wives, a desperate, fiery way out” by Alissa J. Rubin, young Afghani women are being denied their rights. Lives for Afghani women are similar to the life Shonagon describes in her book. The roles and demands of Afghani women has never changed or reached enlightenment. Married off when they are teenagers to a man chosen by their parents, they are left with no options. This act empowers the husband and his family who believe that abusing his wife is appropriate since she is not worthy of respect. “The choices for Afghan women are extraordinarily restricted: Their family is their fate. There is little chance for education, little choice about whom a woman marries, no choice at all about her role in her own house. Her primary job is to serve her husband’s family. Outside that world, she is an outcast.” These women feel like their only way to escape is death, and the cheapest way to do so is by burning themselves. These self-inflicting burns by women have grown tremendously in recent years but no one has made the initiative to stop it. One can only hope that one day women in Afghanistan and in similar countries will be granted equal opportunity the way we have it here.

Many teachers aspire to influence at least one student in their career. Some teachers create such an impact that students live by their teachings and their influence is carried on even after they graduate. Students always remember a wise teacher’s words. This is seen in both “The Analects” and the New York Times article about the teacher Fred Goldhaber. In “The Analects” students are mesmorized by the teachings of Confucius. His students admired him and considered his teachings to be a way of life. Confucius taught his students how they could live happy lives by spreading the importance of humanity. Confucius writes “seeking to achieve humanity leaves no room for evil” (A, 1049). His teachings were so influencial in China that it led to the spread of Confucianism. Even after his death Confucius’ teachings were still being taught and practiced.

In The New York Times article “Fred Goldhaber, 1st teacher at school for gays, dies at 63″ by Dennis Hevesi, students mourn the loss of a great teacher, Mr. Goldhaber. He was a very influencial teacher since 1985 for runaway homosexuals who believed they had nowhere to go. Many gays and lesbians took comfort in Mr. Goldhaber’s teachings and seeked his guidence at the Harvey Milk School of Manhattan. He was the first and for the first four year the only teacher at the school. A fellow collegue describes Mr. Goldhaber saying ” kids idolized him, many of them would have never gotten diplomas had it not been for the way he treated them”. Like Confucius, Mr. Goldhaber was able to have an impact on his students and was able to change their lives for the better. Both teachers left the world a better place for humanity.

The title “Throne of Blood” clearly reflects the plot of the play, a throne that is riddle with blood. The play presents two murders related to Washizu acquiring the position of the Lord of Spider Web castle and his attempt at keeping that position. Throne of Blood is entertaining to watch, even though without prior exposure to the film version or to Shakespeare’s MacBeth will leave a viewer confused for several scenes. Charles Isherwood, a writer for the New York Times states that the show is “as boring to look at as it is to listen to.” (New York Times) Isherwood also states that Mr. Chong, the director, “musters little in the way of innovative staging to propel the story forward.” I feel this is incorrect because Chong was able to use light to create a scene where no door was present. I was surprised at how well light was use with sound to simulate a door being opened and closed.

I feel that Isherwood is too critical of this show. He compares this show to the film version. While filming, the director is able to make each scene better by trying again and again. A live show does not have this luxury. Mr. Chong has to make sure the entire show is perfect the first time and that the show is complete within a certain time limit.

“The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon” is a major Japanese text that is written in the form of diary entries. This text is written based on the thoughts of Sei Shonagon as she is criticizing the people around her. However, she does not desire for her thoughts to be made public. Sei Shonagon clearly states that “much of [her text] might appear malicious and even harmful to other people.” (B, 258) Sei Shonagon is expressing her feeling by writing, but fears others will read her writing. She is in constant fear of having her writings found and read.

The New York Times released an article on November 7, 2010 called “For Afghan Wives, a Desperate, Fiery Way Out.” This article is about the practice of honor killing in Afghanistan. Honor Killing is the practice of killing oneself in order to preserve the honor of their family.  In Afghanistan, the act of lighting oneself on fire is very easy because what is needed is readily accessible. Wives in Afghanistan are constantly expressing their feeling of discontent and oppression through the act of suicide.  A woman who tries to commit suicide, Farzana states that “I felt so sad and such pain in my heart and I felt very angry at my husband and my father- and mother-in-law, and then I took the matches and lit myself.” (New York Times)

Sei Shonagon express herself by privately writing down her thoughts. Farzana express herself by engaging in an act that would end her life. Although these two women express themselves differently, this difference is also their similarity. Both Sei Shonagon and Farzana are releasing their frustration about what they see and feel. Sei Shonagon writes down what she feels is “depressing” and “hateful.” Farzana’s act of suicide reflects her frustration with her life.