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In Britain, the story of Romeo and Juliet have the wonder of different expressive approaches but have equally satisfactory results echoed in folks’ minds. This tragedy, created by Shakespeare, falls on a story that a pair of lovers with mutual happiness, regardless of the harsh and cruel reality, but fails to meet a happy end. Eventually and unfortunately, they are both forced to die for the eternal love. It criticized the feudal ethnics, exploring a humanistic desire for inpidual freedom and personal happiness.
This paper consists of five chapters:
Chapters one is the introduction of the whole paper, which aims to help readers to comprehend the content of the paper.
Chapter two is an interview of literature. It mainly introduces the two legends. One is named Butterfly Lovers which originates from the east, and another named Romeo and Juliet comes from the west.
Chapter three occupies the core position in this paper. Through comparing the different plots between Butterfly Lovers and Romeo and Juliet, the author intends to illustrate three peculiarities of Chinese culture and English culture.
Chapter four analyzes the major reasons of the distinction between Chinese culture and English culture. They respectively are the economic system, cultural background, geographical environment and ideological rule.
Chapter five makes a summary about this paper. It advocates that readers respect the differences of culture, take advantage of forte but avoid weakness, and promote the development of China and Britain culture in the cross-cultural communication.
II. Introduction to Butterfly Lovers and Romeo and Juliet
2.1 Butterfly Lovers
Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai live in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Zhu Yingtai is a beautiful girl and she is very intelligent, the ninth child and the only daughter of Zhu family. She wants to go to ancient old--style private school like male. So, she disguise herself as a man, because traditions of that era discourage females from going to school, Zhu Yingtai convinces her father and then, she began her school trip. During her journey to Hangzhou, she encounters Liang Shanbo, a scholar from Kuaiji (present-day Shaoxing). They study together for the next three years at school and Zhu Yingtai gradually falls in love with Liang Shanbo. But Liang Shanbo doesn’t know Zhu Yingtai is a girl and regards her as a classmate. One day, Zhu Yingtai receives a letter from her telling her to return home quickly. Before her departure, Liang Shanbo accompanies his “sworn brother” for 18 miles to see her off (Wang 80-112). During the journey, Zhu Yingtai continuously implies her love for Liang Shanbo by what they have met in the way.
But Liang Shanbo doesn’t understand her hint which makes Zhu Yingtai feel very upset. So that she lies to Liang Shanbo she has a nine--sister who is a young unmarried girl and very similar to her. She wants to betroth her sister to Liang Shanbo. But Liang Shanbo is born in a poor family, he doesn’t dare to ask her marry him. He misses the time to propose a marriage and loses the marriage. After a period of time, he realizes that Zhu Yingtai doesn’t have a nine--sister and what she has said just is a test, Liang Shanbo is a woman actually.
After she comes back to home, she discovers she is betrothed to Ma Youcai. Months later, when Liang Shanbo visits Zhu Yingtai, he discovers that she is actually a woman. From then on, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai fall in love with each other. But Zhu's parents have already arranged for her to marry a man from a rich family. Liang Shanbo is heartbroken when he hears the news. But he does not try his best to preserve the love with Zhu Yingtai. He blames fate and other people after knowing that Zhu Yingtai is affianced to.
And then, his health gradually deteriorates until he becomes critically ill until to die. On the day of Ma Youcai and Zhu Yingtai’s marriage, there are mysterious whirlwinds preventing the wedding procession from escorting the bride beyond Liang's grave, Zhu Yingtai walk to the grave of Liang Shanbo. She is distraught and want to company with her lover in grave. Suddenly, the grave opens with a clap of thunder. Without further hesitation, Zhu Yingtai throws herself into the grave to join Liang Shanbo. They turn into a pair of beautiful butterflies and emerge from the grave. They fly together as a pair and are never to be separated again.