A Study On Gender Narrative Of Chinese Opera Themed Films

Based on the gender narrative theory and feminist film theory,this paper explores the gender significance of Chinese mainland drama film narrative from the story level and discourse level of the film narrative text through close reading,comparative analysis,and summary of the research methods.Firstly,in terms of gender character settings in Chinese mainland opera themed films,female actors have a relatively singular identity in the drama,and their visual appearance is based on the director’s gender differences,presenting two directions: gaze and de gaze.The construction of female actors’ images is closely related to social and historical backgrounds,film creation contexts,and gender awareness.They are presented as four types: devotees and followers under traditional patriarchy,de gendered female actors in transitional periods,independent female actors in the process of modernization,and "androgyny" towards postmodernism.Secondly,in terms of gender story construction in the film,male directors tend to narrate the marriage or artistic career of female actors,while female directors tend to express their life experiences.Through comparison,it is found that the narrative content of female actors’ stories is not as rich and diverse as that of male actors.Based on factors such as the context of the times and the gender of the director,the theme of the film has shifted from a social theme to a female theme,gradually highlighting the survival difficulties and individual values of female actors.Finally,in terms of the gender narrative discourse of the film,the narrative mode of the actress story can be roughly divided into three narrative modes: single person narrative,two sisters narrative,and group image narrative.The multiple types of narrative modes enrich the formal expression of female actors’ narratives,highlighting their dominant position in narrative.The setting of female narrative perspectives is mainly divided into female "other" narratives,female "me" narratives in the painting,female "she" narratives,and a combination of female "me" narratives.Under the discourse authority of male directors,female actors are in the position of being viewed as objects and lack subjectivity.The discourse of female directors highlights and establishes the subjectivity of female actors,presenting a distinct feminist color.In short,the number of films with female protagonists in Chinese mainland opera themed films is small and marginalized,but it is a unique expression.Under the cross influence of different historical contexts,gender factors,and film artistic characteristics,its gender narrative presents complex and unique characteristics.While repeatedly expressing traditional gender concepts and male discourse hegemony,it constructs a female subject in the awakening of gender awareness and the emergence of female voices.This is the result of the discourse power struggle among film creators of different genders,as well as the result of the tug and tug of war between different gender consciousness,gender concepts,and gender positions,presenting complex contradictions and tensions.