『好色五人女』의 연구

Abstract

This study was conducted on female commoners and their Koshoku(which meaned amorous relationship between man and woman) in "Koshoku Gonin Onna" of Ihara Saikaku based on women's real life at that time. It was separated 3 parts in progress to analyze the work. In Part 1, the study identified the meaning of Koshoku in modern times and looked into female commoners of that time. In Part 2, the content of work was analyzed focusing a heroine. In Part 3, the study focused on the difference of settings depending on women's marital status and analyzed how Saikaku saw the Koshoku of them in stories.

Female's economic and social status was the lowest in the modern times. Besides, according to the social system in that time, having a relationship was defined as a heavy crime that could be sentenced to death penalty depending on the situation. However, heroines in the work were looking for the love that was not involved in the society such periodic background. They approached to men first and grew the love. In case of non-married women, they kept the relationship after falling in love with men together. On the other hand, in case of married women, they accidently had affair and then fell in love. Also the story ended differently by whether they are married or not. The writer didn't criticized women expressing interest to men aggressively. That implied Saikaku about pure love between unmarried men and women. Stories of married woman who approached man for revenge ended by death of them. Basically considering the affair of married woman immoral, the writer looked in positive about woman who devoted to one man even though he is not husband.

Heroines of "Koshoku Gonin Onna" could not break out their rut of a tragedy from the first because they looked forward to the love against the social system at that time. However they all showed active attitude on the relationship in spite of periodic limitations. Saikaku tended to depict woman who tried to live an independent life although they knew their life would end terribly by social environment. The work, "Koshoku Gonin Onna", might be loved cause many people in that time were sympathetic and got a vicarious satisfaction from woman's active attitude.