Toyo's Treatment Of Women In Othello
Women of Japan It is known that during seventeenth century Japan, women were seen as being inferior to men and had no major role in society. Their only actual role was to remain loyal to their husbands, act as an obedient mother, and uphold the household duties, while having no actual authority in the household of which they maintained. It was expected for women to behave in a passive and subservient manner towards not only their husbands, but all men. They were expected to act this way, while in return receiving little or no respect from society. They hardly received an education and if they were lucky enough to obtain any it was restricted to basic literacy. They were simply taught household duties and that was their only function in civilization.
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At the beginning of the story, whenever she first meets Toyo-o she seems to be modest and polite, which is common trait accepted among women at this time. As the story goes on she becomes less polite and more forceful and demanding with Toyo-o. For example, when Toyo-o goes to her house to get his umbrella she basically demands that he stays and orders her maid, Maroyo, not to let him leave. This as well as many other instances throughout the story, emphasizes the way women were not to behave. These behaviors are used to show how not to act and reminds women that there are punishments for violating these expectations, which in Manago’s case was her inevitable death. There was also the death of Tomiko, whom was Toyo-os bride, whose body was overcome by Manago. The reasoning of her death was this, “But Tomiko, as a consequence of her horrible experience, became seriously ill and died. Toyo-o, on the other hand, suffered no ill effects but lived a long and healthy life, it is recorded.” Why does Tomiko deserve the result of death when she has done nothing wrong? She was merely a victim of Manago, while Toyo-o who is to blame for all of this, lives a long and healthy life? Although Manago was the one doing the deceiving in this particular story, after understanding the treatment of most women at this time, it should really be no question why all evil ghosts/spirits are made up of
At the beginning of the story, whenever she first meets Toyo-o she seems to be modest and polite, which is common trait accepted among women at this time. As the story goes on she becomes less polite and more forceful and demanding with Toyo-o. For example, when Toyo-o goes to her house to get his umbrella she basically demands that he stays and orders her maid, Maroyo, not to let him leave. This as well as many other instances throughout the story, emphasizes the way women were not to behave. These behaviors are used to show how not to act and reminds women that there are punishments for violating these expectations, which in Manago’s case was her inevitable death. There was also the death of Tomiko, whom was Toyo-os bride, whose body was overcome by Manago. The reasoning of her death was this, “But Tomiko, as a consequence of her horrible experience, became seriously ill and died. Toyo-o, on the other hand, suffered no ill effects but lived a long and healthy life, it is recorded.” Why does Tomiko deserve the result of death when she has done nothing wrong? She was merely a victim of Manago, while Toyo-o who is to blame for all of this, lives a long and healthy life? Although Manago was the one doing the deceiving in this particular story, after understanding the treatment of most women at this time, it should really be no question why all evil ghosts/spirits are made up of