Analysis On Susanna's And Dou E's Attitude Towards Chastity And Martyrdom In The Cross-cultural Context

More and more comparative research has been done in the field of Chinese and Western culture and literature from the late half of 19th century. Literature, a component of culture that is most closely related to human sentiments, helps to promote the harmonious coexistence and mutual understanding between different cultures, especially the Confucianism and Christianity. Each culture has its own tradition and literary practice, thus different from each other in terms of concepts and principles; however, they share humanity, and the essence in literature. Writers and literary images of different times and different cultures correspond to each other in spirit and mentality. Research of the differences need to focus upon their cultural background as well as tracing their connotations and origins.This thesis compares two heroines in two classical literary works with different cultural background. From the comparison, it is clearly demonstrated that Susanna and Dou E share a lot in morality with all the heterogeneity in culture, Susanna's attitude towards Martyrdom is the human virtuous purpose of religious theology based on a God salvation and the heavenly afterlife. Dou E's concept of chastity originated from Confucian virtues of ethics, which is religion-like, sacred, and transcending. From their similar experiences of bearing sufferings, enduring misfortunes, and the pursuit of martyrdom and chastity, we can see that in terms of the ultimate values and ideals of life, they share similar spiritual pursuits. Therefore, we should understand them through their respective cultural backgrounds and traditional classics. Of course, to compare and contrast across different cultural traditions, there are bound to be misunderstandings. But it is only the comparison and contrast between them could demonstrate more clearly their commonness and uniqueness of their cultural traditions and the common ground they share in ideology. That is, they safeguard the truth and abide by the Martyrdom and their hearts, even at the expense of their precious lives. From their behaviors and values, which indicates that both Confucianism and Christianity agree in inner spiritual world and the ultimate pursuit of values. In other words, as long as some of the necessary environment and conditions are created for their dialogue, and thus a suitable exchange coming into being, a religion ethic based on fraternal love and a virtue ethic based on kindheartedness, to some extent, even in the more intrinsic level of values, may agree with and accept each other.As some scholars have demonstrated and expected, the Western Christian culture has become an organic part in Chinese Confucian-dominant culture of diversity and given a corresponding cultural impact, with a view to meet the soul demand of the countrymen. For a lot of men of insight have realized that these are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men and short character; steep profits and shallow relationships; more leisure and less fun; fancier houses, but broken homes; higher incomes, but lower morals. corruption, moral decay, social injustice, worship of money, a world in which interpersonal relationships have become tainted by jealousy and mistrust, slanderous accusation, and criminal guilt through association.It is inevitable that people of insight should begin to question the present existing values, to look for new standards, and take up the task of a revaluation of all values. It is recognized that the needs of the community today are not only external legal constraint, and perfect the legal system and mechanism, the more they need is internal self-discipline and moral character of sublimation. It is also recognized that the absence of any moral in support of the inherent belief, is difficult to reach the realm of self-discipline, regardless of religious beliefs or earthly.People in the reflection of their own traditional culture come to understand the utilitarianism color of China's Confucian culture, which is too rational, and realized the necessity to re-with the ability to be– to go beyond itself and beyond the power of the material world. This is the significance of writing the thesis. According to the views of some scholars, in the remodeling of the moral value, Christianity has become an important factor, and has gain the unprecedented influence in China. On the other hand, women are charged with the sacred mission of nurturing future generations. Family warmth and social prosperity are inseparable from women's love. But the traditional virtues of women, women's aesthetic standards, as well as women's own values are being deconstructed at the same time. In the new era, women's self-esteem, self-love, self-respect, self-improvement is the foundation of their value in the community. As to the reconstruction of women's inherent virtues, perhaps we can be inspired by Susanna's and Dou E's attitude toward the Martyrdom and the chastity. It could be further revealed that people have not only the needs of moral constraint, but also a demand in belief.