《阿新》劇中有關中國族群與美國兩性的議題

American Gender Issues and Chinese Ethnicity in Ah Sin

馬克吐溫與布列特哈特合著的《阿新》一劇，背景設於淘金潮時期的美國加州，該區匯聚各種不同的文化與性別觀念。雖然十九世紀美國的東方論述常將東方人邊緣化和女性化，《阿新》一劇卻以中國人為主角。本文論證：該劇不僅破除固有的東方人刻板形象，更藉由描寫白人女性與中國僕人的關係，闡述當代性別議題與對中國人種族歧視的關聯。此劇探討美國西部新興的意識觀念，強調家務管理有助於穩定國家根基，藉此肯定白人女性與中國僕人對美國社會的貢獻。劇中對中國勞工與白人女性以平行方式描寫：管中國角色受到歧視而被女性化，但最終仍回復其「男子氣魄」，正如女主角在劇終糾正傳統對弱女子的觀念。綜言之，《阿新》一劇所呈現的美國白人女性與中國僕人角色，同時為當時的弱勢女性與弱勢族群發出不平之鳴，質疑十九世紀美國的東方論述中視西方陽剛而東方陰柔的錯誤對比。

Ah Sin, a collaboration of Mark Twain and Bret Harte, is set in the multicultural frontier of gold rush California, where several cultural and gender ideologies met. Whereas nineteenth-century American Orientalism tended to marginalize and feminize the Orient, Ah Sin figures the Chinese as the central character. This article argues that, in addition to the disruption of Oriental stereotypes, the play’s portrayal of white females in relation to a Chinese servant points toward contemporary gender issues in relation to racism against the Chinese. By exploring the emerging frontier ideologies that emphasized the importance of domestic work and house management in maintaining the stability of the nation, the play acknowledges the contributions of Chinese servants and white women to American society. Much as the feminized Chinese character restores his “manhood” notwithstanding the sexist stereotypes of the Chinese as effeminate, the heroine undermines the stereotyped notions about frail womanhood. The play reflects on the parallels in the development of each group’s struggles. As such, Ah Sin challenges many levels of racist and gendered assumptions prevalent in the 19th century American Orientalism by way of dismantling the false binary between the masculine West and the feminine East.