The Life of an Amorous Woman
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The Life of an Amorous Woman (好色一代女, Kōshoku Ichidai Onna) is a novel depicting the "floating world" of Edo period Japan, written by Ihara Saikaku and published in 1686.[1]
Plot summary[]
A man of the world who lives in the capital city Kyoto travels to Saga, a suburban district of Kyoto, 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 lost her privileged status and fell through the ranks of both the nobility and the pleasure quarters; first as the mistress of a daimyō, then as a courtesan, and then finally as a common streetwalker. At each stage, the woman tried to free herself from the situations she found herself in, but was trapped by her own nature causing her to fail.
Adaptation[]
The Kenji Mizoguchi film Life of Oharu is based upon this novel.[1]
References[]
External links[]
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- 1686 novels
- Edo-period works
- Novels about geishas
- Japanese novels adapted into films
- Works by Ihara Saikaku
- Novel stubs