The Life of an Amorous Woman, is one of the first true POV type readings that we have had in this class. It is told from first person, and as such, reads much different then our previous articles, which were more like stories being recounted by a narrator. However, the narrators of the different stories of The Life of an Amorous Woman are telling about their own experiences, which allows us to get insight into the thoughts of women living during the Edo period. It may be because of the change in perspective, but I also felt that this reading was better translated than the ones we had in the past. Is this going to be something we see improve as our readings get closer to the modern age? And is this due to the evolution of proto-Japanese into something more recognizable/closer to modern Japanese, that is easier to translate?
Life of an Amorous Woman
Ihara Saikaku
It was interesting to read Tales of an Amorous Woman, which gave such a new perspective on romantic relations from what we have previously read in the course. Reading these stories from the perspective of a courtesan or concubine is a very interesting insight into the complicated power dynamics behind some of these relationships. I found it especially intriguing that although these stories were told from the woman's perspective, they still often ended with a message of defeat or negativity - portraying the life of a courtesan/concubine as a less than ideal one. Was the intention behind these stories to highlight these negativities, or just to provide a realistic depiction of these women's experiences?
While reading The Life of an Amorous Woman, I was intrigued by the quote, "Their feeling for these boys is deeper than that which they have for a woman; in many instances, they begin to neglect their wives. When I think of it, is this not precisely because a nobleman's wife may not, like common women, experience jealousy?" What was the role of jealousy in this environment, and how would interactions between men and women be like if there was this jealousy that the author is talking about outside of a noble marriage?
The reading was very interesting because we got to see a relationship in classical Japan in the perspective of the woman. From the readings, rumors within the court were very common which would result in the subject of most sexual incidents facing some form of punishment. In some ways, I see the women in the story as similar to modern-day geisha. Were there a lot of instances of women going from serving in court to being an entertainer or prostitute?
This reading was really interesting as it told the story from the perspective of a women. It was really interesting and new to hear how open she was with reflecting on her experiences with love, sex, and societal expectations. Reading this brought me back to the question I asked last week of whether or not these stories were meant as cautionary tales or not and I think that this one reads as more of a story where we are rooting for her. This is because of her being shown as the protagonist and also the fact that there is a sense of redemption with her. This is very notable when she reflects on her life’s choices and begins to seek a path toward spiritual redemption, hinting at the possibility of finding peace after a life filled with hardship and desire.
It was pretty neat to see how these stories approached themes of love, desire and sex. I was particularly drawn by the lives depicted of concubines, which interestingly had a mix of commentary on the confusing and exciting way of desire, and also the reality and hardships of life as a female concubine. One juxtaposition I found interesting was the idea that women had a certain amount of power from their "amorous gaze" with which they could lure and also "use" men, and yet in the absence of demand, women are denied of power and have to give up their bodies to less desirable men (p. 148). How did female concubines navigate this structure of power/lack thereof?
The quote, "So long as he is of high standing in the capital, she should willingly accept him, even if he be a greybeard or a priest" (145). stood out to me. I am wondering how much of love at the time was based on actual attraction vs social status. Obviously high social status is itself an attractive trait but in the sentence before, it mentioned that looks are more or less disregarded.
In some ways, it sort of seems like "The Life of an Amorous Woman" is now reflecting the same way that men's desires were described in previous readings, although it has a slightly more critical tone, as if women were not meant to be so 'amorous.' The story also talks more openly about relationships that should not have been, like that with the priest. It still retains the idea of salvation though; the overall message being that despite the 'sins' of the body that the woman went through, at the end she is still capable of realizing her ways and entering the path of the Buddha.