CENTRO ESCOLAR UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION - LIBERAL ARTS MUSIC SOCIAL WORK

MENDIOLA, MANILA

NAME: RODEL SAMBOY N. DE LEON
COURSE YEAR AND SECTION:
SUBJECT:
SCHEDULE:


A Mid-Term Requirement
An Analysis of the Short Story

The Butterfly Lovers
(Liang Zaiyan)

I. Summary
In order to pursue her academic success, Zhu Yingtai
decided to go to Hangzhou to attend classes in disguise as a
young man. During her journey to Hangzhou, she met Liang
Shanbo, a scholar from Kuaiji. They studied together for the
next three years and Zhu gradually fell in love with
Liang. But Zhu is a bookworm and failed to notice it. Later,
after being clear about Zhu`s love to him, he headed for the
Zhu`s family to propose marriage. Unfortunately, Zhu had
been betrothed by her father to another man named Ma
Wencai. Liang was so grieved that he suffered decease and
finally died. On the day of Ma and Zhus marriage, Zhu went
to Liangs tomb to show respect to him. She was very
grieved and begged for the grave to open up. After a while,
the tomb opened as she wished and Zhu threw herself into it
without any hesitation. Later on, the lovers turned into a pair
of beautiful butterflies and flied wing to wing and would never
to be separated again.
Theme:
The Butterfly Lovers is a Chinese legend of a tragic love
story of a pair of lovers, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai

II. Plot Development:

As family feud prevented the lovers from coming together, so
social prejudice of the day set Liangshan Bo and Zhu Yingtai
apart.

III. Setting:
The legend is set in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, about 1600
years ago In order to pursue her academic success, Zhu
Yingtai decided to go to Hangzhou to attend classes in
disguise as a young man where in during their time, only
boys are allowed to go to school.

IV. Character Analysis
A. Protagonist
Liang Shanbo - He shared the same dormitory with Zhu
Ying Tai for almost four years, without any clue that his room
mate is acyually a woman in disguise.

Zhu Yingtai - Zhu dresses up as a boy to attend school
and befriends Liang Shanbo. She falls in love with him, but
cannot reveal her true identity.

B. Antagonist
Zhu Yingtais Parents Liang Shanbos parents
arranged a marriage for their daughter that makes the Zhu
Yingtais heart broken. His health gradually deteriorates until
he becomes critically ill and later on died.

C. Other important supporting characters:
Ma Wencai A guy from a rich family that arranged a
marriage for Liang Shanbo.

V. Symbols:
Mandarin Ducks - a symbol of lovers in Chinese culture

VI. Figures of Speech:
Liang equals Zhu in their studies, he is still a bookworm and
fails to notice the feminine characteristics exhibited by his
classmate

Bookworm- (Simile) A person who likes to read books and
who spends a lot of time in reading and studying.

She descends in bitter despair and begs for the grave to
open up. Suddenly, the grave opens with a clap of thunder.

Clap of Thunder - (Metaphor) Strong struck of thunder

VII. Insights about life:

Even death cant let two people apart when the love is true.
From the character of Zhu Yingtai, feminism is strongly
justified when Zhu Yingtai decided to dress like a boy in
order to pursue her academic success it proves that ones
gender can not define the boundaries that you can achieve.


VIII. Authors Style:

The author used straight narration










Reference:
Electronic Source:
http://www.yale.edu/chinacare/pdfs/papercuts.pdf



Submitted to:

Dr. Teresita G. Carey
Professor

Submitted by:
Rodel Samboy N. De Leon


Date: