The Life of an Amorous Woman
Encyclopedia
is a novel of the floating world
by Ihara Saikaku
, published in 1686.
travels to Saga-ken in Kyushu
with some friends. They meet an old woman who lives in a grass hut and listen to the story of her life experiences. She was born as the daughter of a family of court nobles, but loses her privileged status, tumbling ever downward through a life mixed with pleasure and trouble in which she goes from being the mistress of a Daimyo
, to Courtesan
, and a streetwalker. At each stage, she tries to crawl up from the station in which she finds herself, but her own nature causes her to fail. The Mizoguchi Kenji film Life of Oharu is based upon this novel.
Ukiyo
Ukiyo described the urban lifestyle, especially the pleasure-seeking aspects, of Edo-period Japan . The "Floating World" culture developed in Yoshiwara, the licensed red-light district of Edo , which was the site of many brothels, chashitsu tea houses, and kabuki theaters frequented by Japan's...
by Ihara Saikaku
Ihara Saikaku
was a Japanese poet and creator of the "floating world" genre of Japanese prose .-Biography:Born the son of the wealthy merchant Hirayama Tōgo in Osaka, he first studied haikai poetry under Matsunaga Teitoku, and later studied under Nishiyama Sōin of the Danrin School of poetry, which emphasized...
, published in 1686.
Plot summary
A man of the world who lives in the capital city of KyotoKyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
travels to Saga-ken in Kyushu
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
with some friends. They meet an old woman who lives in a grass hut and listen to the story of her life experiences. She was born as the daughter of a family of court nobles, but loses her privileged status, tumbling ever downward through a life mixed with pleasure and trouble in which she goes from being the mistress of a Daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
, to Courtesan
Courtesan
A courtesan was originally a female courtier, which means a person who attends the court of a monarch or other powerful person.In feudal society, the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
, and a streetwalker. At each stage, she tries to crawl up from the station in which she finds herself, but her own nature causes her to fail. The Mizoguchi Kenji film Life of Oharu is based upon this novel.