Henrik Ibsen’s drama A Doll’s House (1879) is also called Nora after the pro-tagonist. It is one of the most translated and performed dramas across the world, and Ibsen’s manuscript is included in UNESCO’s world heritage list. Hence, to say that Nora is not visible on stage would be a gross understate-ment. More importantly, though, is the fact the drama itself is about her invis-ibility and her fight to be visible as an embodied human being in a family life which itself is nothing but a series of theatrical playing between the characters until she finally breaks the glass ceiling herself as a woman by slamming the door on her husband, heading into an unknown future. However, this shift from invisibility to visibility is not an individual act; it is embedded in a cul-tural context. When translated, adapted and performed in other cultures than its European origin, Nora’s making herself visible has to find other means to make her life understood as a radical act of female visibility. The paper will discuss Ibsen’s play and its transformation into Chinese after 1911 and in the May Fourth movement through the translation of Hu Shih as Nuola (1917) and his dialogical response in English, the short The Greatest Event in Life (1919), later followed by the experimental interactive performance The Great-est Event in a Doll’s Life (2019).

This paper explores the literary and visual representations of women’s bodies in classical Chinese culture, focusing on Qixi poetry and Qiu Ying’s Court Lady Paintings. By examining the idealized female body as both a cultural construct and a symbolic medium, the study investigates how these artistic forms reflect and shape the social, moral, and aesthetic values of their time. In Qixi poetry, women’s bodies are often metaphorically associated with dexterity and virtue, symbolizing their roles in domestic and cosmic harmony. Similarly, Qiu Ying’s Court Lady Paintings depict idealized female figures through exaggerated elegance and refined postures, aligning with imperial and elite expectations. Using an interdisciplinary approach that integrates literary analysis and cultural anthropology, the paper argues that these representations of women’s bodies are not merely aesthetic but serve as tools for constructing and perpetuating gendered social norms. By comparing the portrayals of women’s bodies in poetry and painting, this study reveals the intricate intersections of gender, embodiment, and cultural identity in traditional Chinese art and literature. The research contributes to broader discussions on body politics, exploring how visual and literary narratives mediate understandings of femininity within historical and cultural contexts.

This paper focuses on the descriptions of female incomplete body image in American novels from 2009 to 2016. Based on the social contexts depicted in the works, these novels are categorized into two major categories: "modern consumer society" and "science fictional society".Within the "modern consumer society" , further sub-categories are made according to the different social groups of the main characters, classifying the works into "minority social context" and "mainstream social context". And the theories concluding Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology and the feminist body philosophical theories such as those proposed by Elizabeth Grosz and Iris Marion Young have been referred as well. The descriptions also reflects the complex relationships between gender, identity, and power structures in American contemporary society. In the paper, firstly, the novels belonging to "minority social context" use the descriptions of female incomplete body image as a metaphor to uncover historical trauma, racial violence, and the struggle of cultural identification. Here, the incomplete body images are carrying their specific collective memories and tracing their ethnic cultural elements besides gender situation. Novels from the "mainstream social context" tend to pay more attention on themes of family issues and signs of illness to emphasize the deep impact of diseases, as well as the view of life and death, and pressures on the individual. In these, the incomplete body images often represent spiritual crises, and a form of rebellion against the pursuit of the "perfect" body, searching for the true form of existence and dignity in deeper layers. Secondly, the paper shifts to discuss the description of the images in the "science fictional society". In these works, the female incomplete body images is set as a performance having connections with future technologies. And these novels often depict the transformation, control, and shaping of female bodies within fictional background such as human freezing and so on. The paper analyzes the incompleteness of female bodies in these texts and consider it as a means of criticizing social and technological control over women’s bodies and individual identities, reflecting a stronger discussion on the commodification and reconfiguration of female subjectivity in a postmodern era. This study delves in to the meaning embedded the descriptions of female incomplete body image through multiple angels and reveals how such descriptions reflect the loss and reconstruction of individual subjectivity as cultural symbols. In doing so, it highlights how these descriptions reflect deep-rooted human anxieties and cultural crises in the context of postmodern society. By providing a comprehensive analysis of the female body image in contemporary American literature, this research offers a new perspective on the literary representation of the body image and the passive gender situation behind all these descriptions and expressions.

The motif of "difficult marriage proposal" is a recurrent theme in the mythologies and legends of the Korean ethnic group and the Manchu-Tungusic peoples. In the process of courtship, the hero consistently encounters a series of challenges designed to test his prowess, intelligence, and magical abilities. These trials often involve physical contests with the relatives or guardians of the prospective partner, such as combat or slaying formidable creatures like bears, dragons, large fish, or eagles. Intellectual challenges may include selecting the correct fiancée from among many beautiful women or performing tasks that require extraordinary ingenuity. Magical trials might involve dueling with the elders of the suitor's family or using spells to resolve complex problems. The myths and legends of the Korean and Manchurian Tungusic peoples are rich in motifs that test the hero's magic, intelligence, and strength in the context of "difficult courtship." These motifs exhibit the following characteristics:

1. In the Hezhe, Xibe, Ewenki, Oroqen, and other ethnic groups, suitors are often depicted as mediocre yet kind-hearted young men. They frequently rely on divine intervention, rescued animals, or their future wives to overcome challenges and punish evildoers, thereby securing their marriages. In contrast, Korean and Manchu motifs involving magical and intellectual tests are associated with divine figures, endowing the suitors with superhuman magical abilities and wisdom. Consequently, these suitors can complete all difficult tasks without external assistance, facilitating their marriage proposals.

2. Many of the women pursued by the suitors have divine connections.

3. In the courtship motifs that test the hero's magic, strength, and intelligence, the challenges are typically set by the parents or guardians of the prospective bride.

4. In the motifs of heroic magic, there are numerous scenes depicting "incarnations of fighting law" between the suitor and the challenger.

5. In most cases, the individuals who assist the suitors in overcoming challenges are the suitors themselves.

In the folk narrative literature of the Korean and Manchurian Tungusic peoples, the theme of "heroic trials in courtship" carries profound connotations and encompasses several key aspects. First, the motif of "difficult marriage proposal" vividly illustrates the natural principle that "only individuals with superior genetic traits are deemed fit to reproduce." Second, the "difficult proposal" serves as a "rite of passage" to determine whether the suitor is eligible for marriage.Thirdly, the process of the "difficult proposal" serves as a demonstration of the suitor's ability to provide for and protect his family. Fourth, the "difficult marriage proposal" motif reflects the transitional marriage forms of servitude and "redundant husband." Fifth, in the "difficult proposal" motif, women as suitors exhibit unprecedented enthusiasm, subtly revealing the waning influence of the matrilineal era.

There are so many translations (interpretations) of the Book of Changes (Yijing 易经) since the westerners began to know it in the late 15th century, but few were translated (or interpretated) from the gender perspective. Margaret J. Pearson strived for the original meaning of the Book of Changes in many ways. First of all, she pointed out that Wang Bi wrote his commentary based on the assumption that the paired concepts of yin and yang were gendered and existed at the time the Book of Changes was created, and that these concepts are expressed throughout the whole book. But the gendered yin/yang interpretation by Wang Bi in the third century CE is an anachronistic addition to the text, even though it is the earliest extant complete commentary. Secondly, she took Hexagram Hou 姤, the 44th hexagram of the Book of Changes, as an example, to illustrate the rigidly dichotomous and gendered yin/yang analysis of the Book of Changes is anachronistic to the era of its creation and earliest use, which she believed that this is a major justification for seeking a meaning closer to the original. Thirdly, Margaret J. Pearson pointed out that while the unfortunate, dichotomized yin/yang definitions now current in both the West and the East may never fade away, he richer natural imagery that has been obscured by them can invigorate out thinking, help us see beyond conventional divisions, and lead us toward a deeper wisdom, a philosophy perhaps more useful in riding the changes in our own lives and times as well as in interpreting the past. This paper intends to argue whether body of images of women could be perceived in the Book of Changes by investigating Margaret J. Pearson’s gendered interpretation of the Book of Changes.

In Eudora Welty’s (1909-2001) short story collection The Golden Apples, seven interconnected stories span from the early 20th century to the mid-20th century, in which the body images subtly emerge, such as disease, childbirth, sex, and death, depicting the relationship between the female body and consciousness, as well as between the self and the world. These body images outline the journey of women in pursuit of subjectivity during the collapse of Southern Belle culture.

In “Shower of Gold,” Welty portrays the defender of Southern Belle culture by using Snowdie MacLain’s body image. Her pregnancy image exemplifies the bodily disciplining of women under the patriarchal system. In addition to Snowdie, through Katie’s words and bodily rituals, Welty creates a symbolic figure who attempts to maintain the traditional role of women in Southern culture. Also, in previous studies, Cassie Morrison and Jinny Love are often considered adherents of the Southern Belle culture. However, after analyzing their body images, it is clear that they are outwardly following its principles, but inwardly questioning, even shaking the Belle culture. Further, Easter and Mattie Will deconstruct the Southern Belle culture. In “Moon Lake,” Easter’s hair, eyes, and sleeping posture break through the traditional gender boundaries and restrictions, embodying the image of androgyny. This image deconstructs the Southern Belle culture’s monolithic expectations for women’s appearance and behavior, emphasizing the body’s expressive power in gender fluidity. Mattie, in her sexual relationship with King, shifts from a passive, worshipped, and gazed-at object to an active, dominating, and gazing-at subject. The bodily images and behavioral expressions of Easter and Mattie challenge the constraints of Southern Belle culture, demonstrate the complexity and initiative of women in the intersection of gender, power, and desire.

Like Easter, Virgil is androgynous. The image of Virgie as both feminine charm and masculine roughness, her unkempt and free-spirited body language directly expresses her rejection of the Southern social expectations of women’s decorum and grace, marking her defiance against traditional gender norms. Moreover, the scene of baptism-like sexual intercourse in the Big Black River further reflects her radical transcendence and refusal to be bound by the gender norms of Southern society. Ultimately, she chooses to define her own life as a true wanderer as her piano teacher, Miss Eckhart, who truly realizes the identity of the wanderer.

In The Golden Apples, body is intended as a controlling devise to deconstruct the traditional patriarchal society, the male-female power dynamics and redefine women’s roles within the Southern social order. This reclamation not only critiques the myth of the idealized Southern Belle culture, but also underscores the evolving identities of women, heralding a transformative shift toward modernity and women’s construction of subjectivity.

Abstract:

Labeled as an "erotic writer," Philip Roth grapples with the tension between his Jewish identity and the countercultural liberation movements in America. Within the intersecting domains of sexual liberation and self-identity, Roth frequently constructs his perceptions of eroticism and gender relations through the imagery of the female body.

This article analyzes narrative fragments from his novels, focusing on animal metaphors in erotic depictions, male-gaze-driven body imagery, and portrayals of bodily illness. Through these animalized representations, the article demonstrates how Roth employs an absurd, postmodern experimental approach to demystify the female body and subvert societal norms.

First, the animal metaphors in erotic depictions appeal for the natural animalistic desires and behaviors inherent in humans. Second, the male-gaze-driven animalization of female body components, combined with tedious and repetitive imagery of body parts, critiques the era's stereotypical and objectifying fantasies about the female body. Finally, the body disease with animal metaphors frequently corresponds to the tragic destinies of female characters, implying the enduring constraints imposed on female sexual liberation and bodily autonomy.

This article concludes that Roth’s seemingly absurd, game-like portrayal of the female body serves to reclaim female independence and subjectivity, advancing a nuanced critique of societal and cultural disciplining of the body.

Richard Yates, in his representative works "Revolutionary Road" and "Easter Parade", depicts the heroines of the two works, April and Emily, with exquisite psychological and physical imagery, whose lives end in the pursuit of their dreams, and who perform a modern and melancholic interpretation of "heroic" performances. In particular, the metaphorical physical performative personality is impressive, providing us with a theoretical paradigm for exploring the true dimension of life." Performance" is a concept that transcends time and space. Performance" is a psychological proposition that transcends time, space and culture, and opens up cultural dimensions such as literature, gender studies and historiography, etc. By examining the value system and deeper meaning carried by these different individuals at the level of bodily performances, and by analysing the speech strategies of the disadvantaged performers under the strong discourse, this paper provides a space to think about the disadvantaged performative individuals in their struggle for the "reasonableness of existence".

This paper employs Luce Irigaray's theories on the female body to analyze Angela Carter's novels, The Passion of New Eve and Heroes and Villians, focusing on how Carter reimagines and redefines female body imagery in her works. Irigaray's critique of phallocentric discourse and her emphasis on the specificity of female embodiment provide a theoretical framework for understanding Carter's subversive portrayal of female characters. Similarly, Carter's female characters often defy traditional gender roles, embracing their bodies as sources of power and creativity. This paper argues that Carter's literary project aligns with Irigaray's call for a feminine imaginary that celebrates difference and multiplicity. Through her innovative narratives, Carter not only deconstructs oppressive representations of the female body but also envisions new possibilities for female subjectivity and expression. The study concludes that Carter's work contributes significantly to feminist literary discourse by offering a radical rethinking of the female body and its potential for liberation.

Sylvia Plath (1932-1963), a representative of American confessional poets who is regarded as the youngest and most talented female poet, became the most influential poetess since Emily Dickinson and Elizabeth Bishop.

Plath's revisionist strategy is accomplished through her portrayal of the female body in her literary creations. In her literary creations, Plath expresses her own life, her own existence in its original form. Unlike her literary predecessors, most of whose mothers hid the self-image of the agonized madwoman in the attic of their novels, Plath becomes the madwoman herself, both in the ironic sense of a female author playing the role of the madwoman in a male-centered society, and in the sense of a female author playing the role of the madwoman in a male-centered society. She becomes a madwoman herself, both in the sense of a female author playing the role of a madwoman in the ironic sense of a male-centered society, and in the true sense of a real-life hysteric. She expresses herself as an imaginary person, and her poetry is so dramatic that it can be understood as an elaborate set of dramatic monologues. The female bodies in Plath's work, all of which are her props, are full of dramatic performance. For example, the ceramic head of a woman is brought to life in the poem with a brick gray face and eyes under fat eyelids, as if she were an ape full of malice but with her face. In appearance, the head is ugly, angry, and cool like the poet. The poem can be a fight to the death around the ceramic head of the lady, as well as the squid-like body in Plath's work, the more angry the more she has to undergo electroshock therapy, just like the crazy, death-loving her. Plath's style of work is confessional and gothic, and she often finds the equivalent of her own life in her own work, using a lot of metaphors. metaphors, and she uses a great deal of female body imagery to express her desires, showing a female writer madly subverting and indicting the male world.