Ochikubo-9

Kitanokata who has lied to his husband about the clothing of Princess Ochikubo got the Princess one of her tattered clothes in return for making of a formal wear for San’nokimi’s husband. Without knowing such treachery, Ochikubo-Hime is thankful for it which will eliminate her worry intensifying as the winter nears. Her beautiful mind stands out especially when exposed to a satanic attempt of her stepmother. Her pureness shines in the darkness of the demonic bully. The Princess is always gleaming brilliantly.

Culture and Society of Heian Period

Promising young men seems to have received favorable treatment from their wife’s family. They may not have to bring money and other necessities; instead they seem to have been given food, clothing, place to stay and other necessary things. In addition, they may choose when they go to their wife’s place, which means (in other words) they may go to any other women as they like (however they risk losing their favorable status as an invaluable husband). Their position may be compared to a guest to be treated and entertained. In addtion to the male-oriented society, they have such benefits in the community of noblemen. Generally speaking, it seems that men have freedom and liberty for choice, including acts at their will, while women bears anything, including pains and sorrows accompanying a wait for a dear one. The society of noblemen in Heian Period may have been supported by the older generations who had more money and wealth than the younger generations.

Let’s look up the classical Japanese languages below from the text of this episode.

Unlike English sentences, in the classical Japanese “who" (the person who does an act) is often not written (omitted). So the readers have to guess or identify (determine) “who" is/are engaged in the act. In the case above, “落窪の君"（Ochikubo-Hime, Princess Ochikubo）is not written at all but it is Ochikubo-Hime that hurriedly finished sewing and worried what she should do and would appreciate a bit. It may be the most difficult task to precisely find out “who" does an act in reading the classical Japanese works. In English, the way to understand the existence of a person may be an absolute one; on the other hand, the Japanese may tend to grasp the existence of a person in a relative way. For the Japanese, even the existence of I (my, me) is also not recognized without a relation to any other person(s). That means the Japanese need the existence of others for the existence of I (my, me). Such way of understanding may be reflected in the structure of the classical Japanese sentences (that “who" is hidden behind the context). If “who" (does an act) is not clearly indicated, based on the relationship between(among) persons(people), a reader can surmise “who" (does an act). In English, maybe no other person exists without the absolute being of I (my, me). According to the traditional understanding of the Japanese, I (my, me) only exists in any relation to(with) other person(s) and cannot exist without (a relation to/with) other person(s). As anyone is recognized in relation to other person(s), “who" (does an act) is not required to be clearly stated; each relation should imply “who" (does an act). The skill of inferring may be needed in reading the classical Japanese.

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