It portrayed how men and women fell in love and the consequences that came with it. There were five different stories about five different women and most of them ended up tragically. During the Tokugawa period (1603-1868) it was tough with the hierarchical order. Death was upon many of those who dare to sleep with the daughters of masters, commit adultery, kidnap, and even embezzle. During the Tokugawa period, there was social order, which was based on positions that was inherited, there was no legal rights to individuals, and family rank and rights was very important.
What I found interesting about Saikaku’s stories was that it was the women who had control over then men. It was their beauty that attracted these men and made these women dominant. Saikaku also uses great color of emotions with in the story. An example would be on page seventy-one. “His body, stained like the blood-soaked grass on which it fell, was washed clean and buried” (Saikaku, pg. 71). The book is drenched in these colorful images that Saikaku uses and is brought to life within our minds.
Why Is This Book