Women’s issue in Su Tong’s novel “Wives and Concubines”

The paper examines Su Tong’s novel “Wives and Concubines” as historical resource to study the position of women in the first quarter of the 20th century in China. Literature is accurate in assessing changes in mentality of society. The process of the women’s role transformation is the most complex and insufficiently studied issue still. The first part of the 20 century Xinhai Revolution overthrew the Qing dynasty and China had a great impact of Western culture. This is the era which the women’s movement also belongs. Even the novel “Wives and Concubines” author shows harsh reality of women from province, where the traditions, sexual politics, gender hierarchies, class are repressed them a lot. Within the narrative of novel women are abused by authority male culture. The Chinese revolution in 1911 didn’t change the main rules that govern society. There was still strong perception of power-related norms in people’s ideology about marriage, traditional role of women is linked to family, limiting the career development and ambitions. Women shall be defined as obedient and dependent in support their husbands even if they sacrifice their own careers.