Analyzing Female Tragedy and Female Consciousness in the TV Series "Empresses in the Palace" from the Female Perspective

Abstract

The TV series "Empresses in the Palace" is a rare boutique in the harem theme category in recent years. The TV series narrates the life of concubine Zhen Huan and her life in the harem from her perspective. Based on the plotting and textual analysis of the drama, this paper analyzes the female tragedy and the awakening of female consciousness in the drama from the female perspective. Three main aspects are analyzed: the microcosm of the harem from the female perspective, the image of women from the modern female perspective, and the overall tragedy of the harem concubines. The research objectives are achieved by studying the influence of Cheng-Zhu neo-Confucianism on feudal rituals, the embodiment of female self-awareness, and the portrayal of characters in the play. The study concludes that the characterization of Zhen Huan, as an example, contains a sense of independence in modern women's thinking and that the overall tragedy of the harem concubines and the shackles of feudal rituals lead to a clear understanding of the oppression and mutilation of women in feudal society.