Five lustful women

Ihara Saikaku's Ukiyo-zoshi. Published in February 1686 (the 3rd year of the Jōkyō era) by Morita Shōtarō in Osaka and Yorozuya Seibei in Edo. 5 volumes, 5 books. Volume 1, "The Tale of Himeji Seijuro," tells of an adulterous affair between the daughter of a Himeji merchant and her clerk in 1662 (Kanbun 2); Volume 2, "The Tale of the Barrel Shop and the Lover," tells of an adulterous affair between a married woman in Tenma, Osaka in 1685 (Seikyo 2); Volume 3, "The Tale of the Calendar Shop as Seen in the Middle Section," tells of an incident in 1683 (Tenwa 3) when the wife of a Kyoto sutra master eloped with her servant; Volume 4, "The Tale of the Greengrocer and Love-Glass Shop," tells of an arson case committed by a girl in Edo in 1682 (Tenwa 2); and Volume 5, "The Tale of Gengobei of Mountain of Love," tells of a double suicide that took place in Satsuma in the 1660s (Kanbun era). Based on a tragic love story that was popular through popular stories and popular songs, this work depicts the intensity of Genroku women who throw themselves into the maelstrom of crime. Osan, the wife of a sutra-maker, is living a happy married life, but in a flirtatious attempt to grant the wish of Rin, a maid who secretly adores the assistant clerk Shigeemon, she suddenly commits the grave crime of adultery. After that, Osan boldly transforms herself, and even plans a fake double suicide while on the run. The story is set in a fictional setting, depicting Osan's intense passion. In the end, Osan disappears like dew on the Awataguchi execution grounds; Oshichi the greengrocer becomes smoke in Suzugamori after sacrificing her childhood love; and Osen, the wife of a barrel maker, seduces Chozaemon Kojiya in retaliation for being suspected of innocence, and then commits suicide for it. Through the heroine of this work, this is one of Saikaku's early masterpieces that highlights the intensity and pathos of a woman who is tossed about by ever-changing fate and becomes embroiled in a crime.

[Akira Asano]

"The Five Amorous Women" translated and annotated by Yasutaka Teruyoshi (Kadokawa Bunko)" "Complete Collection of Japanese Classical Literature 38: Ihara Saikaku Collection 1" annotated and translated by Akimasa Higashi and others (1971, Shogakukan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

井原西鶴(さいかく)の浮世草子。1686年（貞享3）2月、大坂・森田庄太郎、江戸・万屋(よろずや)清兵衛より刊行。5巻5冊。巻1「姿姫路清十郎物語」は、1662年（寛文2）の姫路の商家の娘と手代との密通事件、巻2「情(なさけ)を入し樽屋(たるや)物語」は、1685年（貞享2）大坂・天満(てんま)での人妻の密通事件、巻3「中段に見る暦屋物語」は、1683年（天和3）京都の大経師(だいきょうじ)の妻女が奉公人と駆け落ちした事件、巻4「恋草からげし八百屋(やおや)物語」は、1682年（天和2）江戸で起きた娘の放火事件、巻5「恋の山源五兵衛物語」は、1660年代（寛文年間）薩摩(さつま)で起きた心中事件を、それぞれ題材としている。俗説巷談(こうだん)や流行歌謡によって広まっていた悲恋物語をもとにして、自ら犯罪の渦中に身を投ずる元禄(げんろく)女性の激しさを描いた作品である。大経師の妻おさんの新婚生活は幸福そのものであったが、たまたま手代茂右衛門をひそかに恋い慕っている下女りんの思いをかなえてやろうとした、ふとした戯れ心から、一転して不義密通の大罪を犯してしまう。その後、大胆にも変貌(へんぼう)し、擬装心中まで計画して逃亡を続けるおさんの激しい情念を、小説的虚構を設定して描いている。ついには粟田口(あわたぐち)の刑場の露と消えるおさん、幼い恋に殉じて鈴ヶ森の煙と化した八百屋お七、また、無実の疑いをかけられた報復として、麹屋(こうじや)長左衛門を誘惑し、そのために自害する樽屋の女房おせん。この作品のヒロインを通して、転変たる運命に翻弄(ほんろう)されながら犯罪の渦中に入る女性の激しさ、あわれさを浮き彫りにした西鶴初期の傑作である。

［浅野　晃］

『暉峻康隆訳注『好色五人女』（角川文庫）』▽『東明雅他校注・訳『日本古典文学全集38　井原西鶴集　1』（1971・小学館）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例