Author
Anghel, Isabella MariaIssue Date
2022Advisor
Hayashi, Kaoru
Metadata
Show full item recordPublisher
The University of Arizona.Rights
Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.Abstract
The definition of femininity has differed among cultures throughout history. One aspect of proper behavior described in literature written in, or based on, the Japanese Heian period (794—1185) is the subversion of female autonomy with respect to their husbands. Akutagawa Ryūnosuke's short story, “In a Grove” (1922) and Kurosawa Akira's 1951 film Rashōmon, both set in Heian Japan, are influential for the depiction of multiple viewpoints of the same event, which greatly affects the main female character, Masago's, complicated femininity. Reconsidering the Heian depictions of expected femininity, I propose my own definition of the grotesque feminine as the nature of the female sexuality, which is at once abject and repellent yet maintains a seductive quality, thus being the object of both desire and disgust. Utilizing the frameworks of the Bakhtinian concept of carnivalesque, Julia Kristeva's abjection, and the prohibition against looking (miru na no kinshi), I explore how Masago is depicted as a grotesque feminine character despite her subservient and attractive representation. After applying the characteristics of the abject to Masago’s character, I then consider how the theme of multiple interpretations of the same event contributes to the grotesque gaze against Masago to solidify her position within the grotesque feminine.Type
Electronic Thesistext
Degree Name
B.A.Degree Level
bachelorsDegree Program
East Asian StudiesHonors College