The Foot Massage and the Raise: The Raise the Red Lantern Images - Essay Sample

The Foot Massage is an image depicted in the movie Raise the Red Lanterns that seeks to depict a certain image concerning the Chinese people in the past. The image depicts people with low regard for women and where mistresses were taken for granted. In contrast to the existent Chinese practices and in regard to the sanctity of human behavior, the picture, by all means, indicates a breach of ethics. In other words, the picture insinuates that women (mistresses) were lifeless creatures who were forced to live under the mercies of the administration (Neo 1). Mistresses were forced to live under the mercies of the king and are forced in inhumane conditions. Seeing that it is the administration of the land that hailed this practice, a correct derivation of the conditions would inform that the same used to happen even within families. Consequent images of the Foot massage further reveals much more concerning the plight of women then.

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The image also reveals to a certain extent the degree of uncivilization. Most importantly, every man never believed that they are complete without having a bunch of wives. However, it is evident that very few men had the ability to provide for all the needs of the wives. The net effect is that these women lived poorly, fought within themselves and the husband could not prevent them from fighting since it was a practice from which he sought comfort and peace within (Raise the Red Lantern 1991 (A Voros Lampasok) Chinese VHSRip EngSub/HunSub by ateszmotyesz"). Drawing an example from the king, all the mistresses had to kneel down at his feet to make him happy even when they had fought and suffered. The primary goal of this picture is therefore to highlight the plight of women then, condemn it and at least, show it to the world that such activities are inhuman.

However, inasmuch as the image makes a presentation of the bad practices, it outlines to a certain degree an extent of responsibility from men. Mistresses, for example, were supposed to live within the walls of Sanheyuan. This was supposed to be a protective measure to ensure that they are not hurt. This setting beats the current practices in the world today where men are no longer concerned about the protection of their wives and families. The image induces it into the mind of men that it is the family men who are supposed to fight for their waves (Neo 1). It induces the thought of responsibility while handling family matters. Family men can now learn that protecting families is specifically is a paramount duty that they are supposed to practice, drawing a practice from this image.

The Foot Massage also highlights a very backward practice of forced marriages. This phase of the picture represents women being married against their will. A man that has a wife is allowed to marry again without the consent of his wife. This practice, therefore, sought to belittle women and made them victims of choices made by their husbands concerning marriage. The concept of the image also to a great extent highlights a disgraced female who pleads to be treated badly and does not fight for her rights (Neo 2). Learning from the image, women ought to understand that their existence in itself is in their hands. The image indicates that women had the power to fight these vices, but they never did.

The same plight is displayed in the image Raise the Red Lantern. The image displays red lanterns where the highlighted women are in a sorrowful mood and one of is already murdered. From this point, the picture resembles the peak of barbarism, disregard to divergent view and Confucianism. A barbaric system tends to disregard women, treat them unfairly and most dishonorably, kill them (Raise the Red Lantern 1991 (A Voros Lampasok) Chinese VHSRip EngSub/HunSub by ateszmotyesz"). Ironically, the red lantern is at the center of this image. Therefore, the lantern is supposed to provide illumination and provide guidance to the people. With the presence of the lantern, one would expect that women are treated fairly. The red lantern, however, represents a kind of power that upholds bad governance and protects men who do wrong to women. Notably, these practices are hidden behind the masks of rituals and barbaric traditional practices. The two picture, therefore, condemn one activity in common: barbaric treatment of women based on their gender.

The world has now developed into a democratic space where all and sundry call for the fair treatment of all people despite their social, gender or economic class. However, this has been as a result of extended democratic processes that ousted the practice of treating women unfairly. The two images The foot massage and the Raise the red lantern are satisfactory images to highlight this case. Both symbolize a low disregard for women, unfair treatment, and sometimes it extended to executions. From these images, every rational a rational of the suffering that women used to undergo for the simple reason that they are women is learned. Every rational mind should, therefore, come to a consensus to detect the occurrence of such practices again.

Works cited

"Raise the Red Lantern 1991 (A Voros Lampasok) Chinese VHSRip EngSub/HunSub by ateszmotyesz." www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEssOOd1D7w.

Neo, David. "The" Confusion Ethics" of Raise the Red Lantern." CINEMATHEQUE ANNOTATIONS ON FILM 33 (2016).