THE WOMAN CHARACTER IN MO YAN’S NOVELS - TRADITION AND MODERNITY

Abstract

Mo Yan is considered as one of the "phenomena" in Chinese literature and world literature; in his novels, he has constructed a unique and original system of intercultural characters. In this multi-layered world of character, we cannot help but mention the woman-type character in whom the writer has confided his innermost feelings. The woman character, who is present in almost every work by Mo Yan, has created a strong impression with long-lasting attraction which has been shaped by a harmonious and flexible combination between elements of traditional culture and modern culture whereby characters are subject to Chinese traditional culture influence but very novel and modern in their thinking. In this article, we investigate the combination between traditional culture and modern culture demonstrated through the woman character in Mo Yan's novels, thereby realizing the originality in the writer’s way of constructing characters.