Study On Extramarital Affairs In Chinese Contemporary Literature

As emphasized by Karl Heinrich Marx, the marriage relationship between men and women is one of mirrors which can reflect the cultural level of a society. To some extent, we can say that this relationship also decide the intrinsic character even the nature of a people in our society.The people's attitude to extramarital affairs is quite different. On the one hand, we try to regulate extra-marital affairs, and on the other hand, a departure from reality and norms can be found everywhere. In fact, the meaning of "extramarital relationship" is very ambiguous, and most people are wandering between likes and dislikes.Since China's reform and opening-up, we have more freedom of saying or publishing our views on extramarital affairs than before. Today, the description of an extramarital affair seems to be an eternal theme of TV, movies, novels and plays etc. while most people have the negative attitude to extramarital affairs.In recent years, there are many literature works which analysis the phenomena of extramarital affairs in contemporary China, such as Chili's "Coming and Going" and "Lipstick," Pipi's "Passionate Desire" and "Decided by Love", Feng Xiaogang's film named "A Sigh", as well as the new century series named "A Girl who be Divided from One into Two ", "Cold Lips", " Toxic Marriage" and " Elder Sister's Dream is Beginning while the Younger Sister's Dream is Ending" etc., which have a deeply influence on literature field . In those literatures, the attitudes toward extramarital affairs are always contradictory, some are sympathy, some are criticism, and some are both.Despite there are many voices about extramarital affairs, but the main tongue of our society is to standardize this phenomena.Now, a marriage model named "Monogamous Marriage", i.e. one husband with one wife is commonly accepted in contemporary China which based on our cultural traditions. Even though "Monogamous Marriage" model has exposed many shortcomings, but it is consistent with the majority of people's emotional needs. However, we also have a different model of marriage, i.e. extramarital affair, which is not a mainstream and social approval model for just satisfying a few people's feelings, although it has many advantages. On certain aspects, "extramarital affair" model that seems not to be agreed with people may be able to correct some deficiencies of modern society, but it is always accompanied with profound tragedy. Therefore, it seems that the ending of extramarital affairs is bound to be helpless.In general, the beginning of extramarital affairs is always accompanied by imposing, while being desolate in the ending. This is inevitable for its incompatibility with the established social norms.Furthermore, extramarital relationship is more like a double-edged sword. It brings a mirage-like dreamland while usually leads to a painful personal tragedy, and has inspired the writers to grab inspiration while makes a social degeneration.In this thesis, the people's attitude, the ending as well as the profound tragedy of extramarital affairs in some Chinese contemporary literature works are discussed respectively.