Widow - Goke

A wife or widow who has lost her husband. It is usually used synonymously with widow, but the original meaning is probably a "wife" who remains in the "married family" even after the death of the head of the family under the "family" system, and who serves as a guardian to the intermediate or young head of the family. The term "goshi" already appears in documents from the Kamakura period, where a woman who remained faithful in her married family after the death of her husband could retain her land as a "gokenin" (retainer) as an "intermediate heir" if the legitimate son was still a child, or could serve as a "substitute clerk" and guardian to the child's head of the family. It was also common for a portion of the deceased husband's land to be transferred to her as a "goshibun" (wife's share). In any case, the status of a "goshi" in medieval samurai society was quite high, and she could become a central figure in the "family" after the death of her husband. However, in the society of the warrior class in the early modern period, the status of women declined, and widows lost all rights, such as land ownership, inheritance, and guardianship, and simply maintained chastity and did not remarry. In particular, the mother of the head of the family was strictly prohibited from remarrying or divorcing. However, widows of commoners could become the heirs of the "family" and could also assume the position of "guardian," and could even take on a "second husband." However, the freedom to remarry outside of their married family was not socially accepted. In the Meiji Civil Code, the name "widow" disappeared, but the status of a wife who lost her husband to death was extremely restricted, and the reality of a widow remained for a long time. Under the current Civil Code, the status of a "widow" has been completely eliminated, but the position of a "widow," especially a "female head of household," is still far from secure, although there is some support from welfare legislation.

[Toshimi Takeuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

夫と死別した妻、寡婦。未亡人と同義に通例用いられているが、「家」制度のもとで家長の没後も「婚家」にとどまり、中継的な家長ないしは若年の家長の後見の地位にある「妻」の身分をさすのが原義であろう。「後家」の用語は鎌倉期の文献にすでにみられるが、そこでは夫の死後も貞節を守って婚家にとどまる者は、嫡子幼少の場合は「中継相続人」として「御家人」の地位にあって所領を保つことができ、あるいは「相代行事人」として、幼少の家長の後見にあたることもできた。また「後家分」として亡夫の所領の一部を譲渡されることも通例であった。ともかく中世武家社会の「後家」の地位は相当に高く認められ、亡夫の後を受けて「家」の中心的存在となりえた。しかし近世武家社会では女性の地位は低下して、「後家」は所領処分、家督相続、後見などいっさいの権利を失い、ただ貞節を守って再嫁せず、とくに当主の嫡母は再婚、離縁を固く禁じられてもいた。しかし庶民の後家は「家」の相続主体となり「後見」の立場ももつことができ、さらには「後夫」を迎えることもできた。とはいえ婚家を離れての自由な再婚などは社会的に容認されなかった。明治民法では「後家」の名こそ消失したが、なお家長に死別した妻の地位はきわめて不自由で、後家の実質を久しくとどめてきた。現行民法のもと、「後家」の身分はまったく解消したが、「未亡人」とくに「女世帯主」の立場は、福祉法制の支えが若干あるものの、なおけっして安泰とはいえないものがある。

［竹内利美］

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