Cultural Hybridity And Identity Construction In The Third Space

With the exotic style of writing and the richness of story,William.Somerset Maugham’s novel The Painted Veil has been adapted into films three times by MGM,in 1934,1957 and 2006.Drawing on hybridity and Third Space proposed by the postcolonial theorist Homi K.Bhabha,this thesis aims to explore the various power dynamics and relations between different actors by focusing on three characters,Walter,the Manchu princess and Colonel Yü.First of all,this thesis demonstrates the decline of patriarchal and colonial power,exemplified by Walter and Kitty’s problematic marital relationship,as well as his conflict with local Chinese villagers during the process of controlling cholera due to language and cultural barriers.The disintegration of Walter’s masculinity,which signifies the subversion of the patriarchal and colonial authority,to some extent suggests that the hegemonic power of the West as the savior of the East is not always stable,but is in the on-going negotiation.It then moves on to argue that the Manchu princess,as an Oriental woman,while being reduced to a submissive and sexual object of the Western and male gaze,also gazes back at the gazers.The final part is dedicated to the analysis of the Oriental male figure Colonel Yü,with a comparison made between Colonel Yü and Charlie Chan,one of the most pervasive images of Asians in Western cinema.In addition,it also analyzes the silence of Colonel Yü who can in fact speak perfect English,as a way of resistance to the powerful West,which also suggests the hybridized blends of the character.Through the discussion and comparison of three adaptations,it can be found that with the changing context in which the films were produced and appreciated,the relationship between China and the West has been gradually changed,which is particularly noticeable in the 2006 version.To this end,the constancy of power and the fluidity of its effects on identity and relationships can be implied.