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Women I Warriors: Dual Images in Modern Thai Literature

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Women I Warriors: Dual Images in Modern Thai Literature WOMEN I WARRIORS: DUAL IMAGES IN MODERN THAI LITERATURE Suvanna Kriengkraipetch1 myth and so on, which had great influence Abstract in Thai society before Westernization. This paper aims at studying the image of The study focuses on four novels: Chanhom women in modern Thai literature, with by Wasit Detkunchon, A Woman Named emphasis on analyses of the image of Bunrot by Botan, Khu Kam by Thamayanti, woman and the image of warrior. The main and Nuea Nang by Krisna Asoksin, and concept is that the two images, which seem two short stories: The Fifth Train Trip by contradictory, have usually appeared Atsiri Thammachot and A Pot Stained together in Thai literature in the past as Beyond Scraping by Anchan. well as today. One image is oftentimes obvious while the other is underlying. Introduction Women in Thai literature is, thus, present dual images, while the image of the ideal Rocking the cradle, and wielding women emphasizes womanhood which is the sword, aren 't they efficient? inferior in status to manhood in all respects. Without bragging, Thai women shouldn 't be underestimated. This study makes use of the didactic, religious literature of the past as an This line, one of the most popular sayings introduction to the image of the ideal about Thai women, is from a poem written woman in Thai society. It will then move in praise of a brave deed of a heroine in to historical documents to explore the the early Bangkok period.2 It is as it were image of historical heroines. The main the 'blue print' of the expected role of focus of this paper will be the analyses of women. Its meaning is simple and clear; some popular novels and short stories in namely, that Thai women can simultaneously order to discuss the dual images of women take on a double image: the image of in these particular literary genres. Novels mother and the image of warrior. The and short stories are, apart from their great question is whether this dual image of capability in recording social phenomena, women is true and acceptable in Thai movements, and changes, the genres with society, or whether is it only a concept the greatest influence on the value system expressed through an impression in this of society. Also, novels and short stories exceptional case? are to a certain extent a continuation of traditional narrative literature, e.g. tales, 2 This poem, "Poem in Praise of the People of 1 Department of Thai, Faculty of Arts, Nakhon Ratchasima" by Phraya Uppakitsilpasan, Chulalongkom UniverSity. tells of the rebellion of King Anu of Vientiane in Laos, during the reign of King Rama III. Downloaded from Brill.com10/04/2021 10:19:23AM via free access Women I Warriors: Dual Images in Modem Thai Literature Ideal Woman I Ideal Wife When the [ideal] woman gives birth to a child, she The Trai Phum Phra Ruani (The Three does not have to feed it. She Worlds of King Ruang), a venerable and lays the child beside a path famous literary work of the Sukhothai and it is fed by people who Period which has had a very strong pass by. Both men and influence upon Thai ideology and the Thai women feed the child with system of belief, describes the ideal milk which flows from their woman with particular clarity in the part fingers. When the child on the Sri Ariya Maitriya Age --the grows up, it will stay with Buddhist Utopia.4 It goes as follows: other children in a group of the same sex. The children The [ideal} women keeps the will not know their parents: eternal beauty of a sixteen­ year-old girl. She has a very What this passage tells us of the ideal beautiful slim body and a woman is very interesting. First, the ideal lovely. She is neither very tall woman must have perfect and eternal nor very short. Her complexion beauty. Second, the major role of woman is fair, neither too dark nor is to give birth to a child, that is, the role too white. Her waist, thighs, of the mother. But the mother need not and breasts are lovely. Her care for her baby. Moreover, the child will fingers are plumb. Her face not know its parents. This means there is resembles the full moon. Her no relationship between mother and child eyes are black with thick required in the ideal society. Thus, the role lashes, soft, large and as of the mother in this case is concerned pleasing as the eyes of the only with the physical, the biological new-born fawn. Her hair is aspect-not with the cultural. In other soft and shines like silk. words, the image of the mother is almost absolutely ignored in this famous and influential literary work. The ideal wife is then depicted as follows: 3 Her previous lives of merit Trai Phum Phra Ruang, or the Three Worlds of King Ruang, was written by King Lithai of the and glory will contribute to Sukhothai Kingdom (Mahathammaracha I, 1346- her husband's prosperity. She 47-1368-74?) This book is very well-known, not will have been born to only as a treatise on Buddhist cosmology, but also provide her husband with as a description of the ideal Buddhist monarch prosperity or to contribute to and the principles ofgood government. her husband's life. She will 4 The third part of Trai Phum Phra Ruang, gain people's respect and describes the whole world in the Age of Sri Ariya will thus win her husband's Maitriya (the last Buddha, who will follow respect, a reward for her Sakaya Khotama, the Buddha of the present age). Buddhists believe that everyone will be happy and goodness. She will be installed all will be equal in that age, when there will be no as Nang Kaeo [precious suffering and no pain. object, ideal wife}. Besides 77 Downloaded from Brill.com10/04/2021 10:19:23AM via free access MANUSYA: Journal ofHumanit ies 3.2, 2000 her merit and glory, she is a times, honour all those whom perfect housewife, who takes he honours, and comply with care of her husband and his wishes in all things. satisfies him. She is subservient, obedient, and faithful to him. Again, an absolutely dependent relationship She entertains her husband is described. So also in another famous whenever he wants. Buddhist literary work Vessantara Jataka, 6 in which Madhi, the wife of Vessantara, It is clearly stated that the ideal wife the Buddha-to-be, concludes that, must be inferior to her husband. The relationship between husband and wife is "to have a husband is like having thus that between a superior and an a precious tiers over your head inferior. Even her life, her merit and glory The tiers will make you look are not for herself but for her husband. beautiful and glorious at all time. " Given such a concept, how can the image of the warrior be developed? Ideal woman All these religious literary works present need not fight against anything since she an image of the wife as inferior to and can depend on her husband in every aspect dependent on her husband and as loyal to of life. And she must depend on him, the husband as a slave is loyal to its clinging to him like a slave, no matter master. This image is found not only in what the situation is. religious works, but also in the law, The Three Seals LaWl enacted by King Rama I, In another literary work, inspired by the first king of the Bangkok Period, the characters in the Indian epic Maha wife is controlled absolutely by her Bharata, Krisna Son Nonl (The Teaching husband, who has the right to take more of Krisna to Her Sister), Krisna, the wife than one wife. Wives are classified who was successful in serving five into three categories, legitimizing and husbands, teaches her sister, who had only institutionalizing polygamy, as follows: one husband but was unable to satisfy him, that; 6Vessantara Jataka, the most well-known jataka, A wife must get up before her which tells of the penultimate life of Buddha, has husband in the morning, go as its dominant theme the virtue of Dana (Giving), to bed after him at night, which means generosity or charity. This virtue is praised as the most meritorious among the ten speak to him sweetly at all virtues. In Thailand, this jataka is usually called Maha Chat, or the Great Birth. 7 The Three Seals Law (in Thai, Kotmai Tra Sam 5Kri sna Son Nong_(The Teaching ofK.risna to Her Duang), the first Siamese legal code, was Sister), a didactic poem written by the Supreme promulgated in 1805 by King Rama I, who had Patriarch Prince Paramanuchitchinorot (I 790- appointed a commission ofjudges and scholars to 18) is based on one episode of the Maha Bharata; examine, revise, and edit the entire corpus of however, the ethical concepts related to women Siamese law handed down from the Ayuddhya are Thai, with an admixture of some Hindu Period and prepare a definitive text. This concepts. remained the law for the next century. 78 Downloaded from Brill.com10/04/2021 10:19:23AM via free access Women I Warriors: Dual Images in Modem Thai Literature 1. The central wife [mia klang were able to hold off the Burmese until a mueang] is a wife chosen by Siamese army arrived and helped force the the parents. enemies to retreat. Without these two women, Thalang might have fallen, and 2.
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