A Comparative Study of Aristocratic Marriage Cultures in Dream of the Red Chamber and The Age of Innocence

Abstract

From the perspective of comparative literature, this paper focuses on the aristocratic marriage cultures in Dream of the Red Chamber and The Age of Innocence, aiming to reveal the similarities and differences in power operations under Chinese and Western family systems. By integrating Pierre Bourdieu’s Symbolic Capital Theory and Michel Foucault’s Biopolitics, this paper analyzes the political and economic functions of marriage, female dilemmas and resistance. It is found that both Chinese and Western marriages are treated as instruments to integrate family interests. However, the former is driven by patriarchal ethics, while the latter is constrained by capital logic and social etiquette. This study offers practical implications for reflecting on contemporary marriages.