Luce Irigarays Body Theory and Film Rouge: Female Image of Courtesan Ruhua

Abstract

The representation of charming female bodies is a distinct characteristic of feminine movies directed by Guan Jinpeng. Rouge, one of his representative works, illustrates the hope and despair of a courtesan named Ruhua. Although several studies revealed the political metaphor of her body image, few researchers put emphasis on the female sentiment behind it. Therefore, by means of textual analysis, this study explores the life experience of Ruhua mirrored by her body image based on three theoretical perspectives proposed by Luce Irigaray in The Sex Which is Not One, including market value, sexual pleasure and class oppression of the female body. The research finding is that in Rouge, lens languages such as compositions, lights and clothes are conceived elaborately to depict Ruhuas body feelings, which not only implies her disadvantaged position in terms of wealth, sex and power but also reflects her individual consciousness against her dominated body as she is craving for maintaining a relatively equal relationship with her lover. The body narrative in Rouge subverts traditional films made by other male directors that commodify the female body under the male gaze and sets an example for the future feminine movie of how the depiction of the female body destroys gender power.