The Role Of Women

4 Pages 886 Words

The Economy was an important factor in the roles performed in Chinese society. Like all society, the traditional Chinese society was divided based on economic status. One's economic status dictated the role one performed in the society. People were expected to perform roles appropriate to their status: "Father: kindness; son: filial piety: elder brother goodness; younger brother: respect; husband: righteousness; wife: compliance" (Yu and Chau). Economy and customs are so intertwined that if economic status changes, so too do the roles being performed. This is especially very evident in the role of Chinese women. The role of these women depended much on the economic standing of the household. If the household was a poor one, much like the household of the poor and desolate farmer Wang Lung, women were "expected to perform double roles." Their roles" entail participating in the production process in the public sphere and taking care of the dependents in the private sphere." ( Yu and Chau). "They were assumed to be primary provider of nurture and care" (Yu and Chau). Wang Lung's wife, O-Lan, was expected to bear the children, care for them, take care of the household and help her husband in the fields. All these she was expected to do, as a woman, without complaint.
However, when Wang Lung acquired silver from the sale of the jewels, which O-Lan found, and they dwelled luxuriously, the role of O-Lan changes.
In the beginning O-Lan was treated as a slave. After acquiring land and money, Wang Lung no longer wanted O-Lan to work in the fields and labour as she had once before. His reason for this was that he did not want the common folks to say, “ And does your wife still work on the land and you rich" (Buck 253)?
A rich man’s wife was not expected to work, not when he could provide her with slaves with his wealth. Lotus, who was the second wife and concubine of the rich Wang Lung, had her personal slave to cook and clean for her. W...