Heroines in the East and the West: a comparative semiotic study of female imagery in the anti-pandemic discourse of Italy and China

Abstract

This paper explores the war-based narrative of the COVID-19 discourse in Italy and China, with a focus on female imagery and the conceptualization of female heroism. Employing Umberto Eco’s notion of intertextuality, we analyze influential texts – including texts from social media, journalism, and art – emerging from the pandemic’s first wave in China and Italy to examine how female healthcare workers are depicted as pandemic heroes and highlight the complex interplay between gender representation and cultural topoi. Although casting women in heroic roles traditionally dominated by men may seem progressive, our analysis reveals that such portrayals actually reinforce existing gender stereotypes in both cultures. Our intertextual analysis reveals the extent to which the pandemic narrative has both reflected and perpetuated gender inequalities. This comparative semiotic study contributes to critically assessing the impact of pandemic-related female imagery on societal gender norms and expectations.