How are women represented in Treasury of Loyal Retainers versus Love Suicides at Amijima?
1. List the main characteristics of the women (Osan, the wife and Koharu, the mistress in Love Suicides; Okaru in Treasury of Loyal Retainers).
2. Compare Okaru in Treasury with Koharu in Love Suicides. As courtesans how is each represented? What moral code do they each live by? How does the giri/ninjô dilemma apply in each case? Do these women’s motivations seem plausible to you, given their situation? Look for specific examples from the plays to support your arguments.
3. How are women portrayed differently in these plays from women in Noh and Kyogen? To what would you attribute this difference?
