Leiden University Student Repository

Smorenburg, Joep (2015)

Zelfmoord in de Droom van de Rode Kamer

Bachelor thesis | Chinastudies (BA)

Throughout the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) novel Dream of the Red Chamber several characters decide to end their own lives for a multitude of reasons; furthermore there are those who initially plan or explicitly threaten to commit suicide, but ultimately do not follow through. Since the characters involved are predominantly women, some claim that the concept of a supposed oppressive patriarchal system is the primary motivational factor for these suicides. In the current work I shall argue that this is in fact not entirely the case. To this end, I shall analyze the acts of suicide as described in the novel based on a three-way division: firstly I shall address the influence of family structure and the system of concubinage in the Qing-dynasty; subsequently shall follow a discussion of the proscribed morals of purity of the time; thirdly I shall discuss a selection of suicides through the framework of qing 'sentimentality.'

Zelfmoord

Honglou Meng

Droom van de Rode Kamer

qing

Author

Smorenburg, Joep

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Chinastudies

Supervisors

Keijser, A.S.

ECTS Credits

10

Language

nl