“Cbap Phseng Phseng”:Genders in Khmer Didactic Literatures

Abstract

The study of genders in Cbap Phseng Phseng aimed to present the Khmer social inequity among different gender roles, contained in the 13 didactic works of literature. By so doing, it can be seen that, in the Khmer society, though females look regarded as fairly significant as males, their roles and status, in actual fact, prove highly beneficial only to the latter. Particularly, roles and status of wives are degraded, compared to those of husbands, to follow a concept of Srey Krob Leak [perfect women] in the society by means of the adoption of Cbap didactic works of literature as a powerful frame. As a result, female behaviors are strictly controlled to follow socially-constructed norms. Unless the norms are precisely observed, certain social punishments will mete out to the defectors. Then, both female private lives and their interpersonal relationships are severely limited; as are their power and spaces. Moreover, provided that females get rewarded for observing duties, it will be words of praise which simply honor them, intangibly. Contrariwise, rewards for males are considerable advances and immense prestige in their daily life. This puts emphasis on the injustice between females and males in the society. Also, the difference in the social structure which favors males and restricts females can cause the gender inequality for the foreseeable future.