THE REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN THE NÔM NARRATIVE POEM CẢI DỊCH NHỊ ĐỘ MAI TRUYỆN FROM A GENDER PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This article examines the representation of women in Cải dịch Nhị độ mai truyện by Đặng Xuân Bảng based on the Nôm manuscript AB.419, employing textual analysis, comparative methods, and a gender studies approach. By clarifying the meaning of the term cải dịch (改繹) as a form of creative adaptation rather than literal translation, the study identifies the distinctive features of female characters in this version in comparison with Nhị độ mai diễn ca and Nhị độ mai tinh tuyển. These features are manifested in the scholarly refinement of language, the deeper exploration of women's inner lives, and the enhanced agency of female characters within Confucian moral discourse. At the same time, the study reveals the limitations of these representations, as they remain constrained by Confucian ideology and traditional gender norms. The findings contribute to a better understanding of Đặng Xuân Bảng's creative adaptation of the Nhị độ mai narrative and shed light on the transformation of Nôm verse narratives in late nineteenth-century Vietnam.