Manago's Use Of Masculinity In Bewiched

In Bewiched, Manago, a symbol of love and passion, serves as a thematic clue to track the male protagonist-Toyo-o’s psychological development of masculinity through a series of seductions and confrontations. While she, a “tenacious” manipulative temptress, is also a true foil to what society demands of women (646). Ueda Akinari uses Manago to suggest a gender based social order in the Japanese society which expects men to develop masculinity- courage, independence, determination to gain control of own destiny whilst demands women to be submissive, selfless, and be of a help or a companion to men. By becoming a man that meets the society’s expectation, Toyo-o ultimately defeats Manago. Over the death of Manago, the society’s order is preserved. …show more content…
Toyo-o starts out as a handsome smart man, yet a “problem” to his family, so problematic that his family even considers to get rid of him through adoption (632). To what the society expects of men, honest, tough and focused to occupation, like Taro, his elder brother, Toyo-o’s uselessness, shiftlessness, and inclination to romanticism make him an outsider to the society, a target for deception (632). Right away, it creates meaning for Manago, a female devil that is needed in the context for teaching the male protagonist-Toyo-o a lesson, indeed, helps him develop masculinity that is expected even so needed to be become grown-ups in the