Men And Women: Books (Diary Of Lady Murasaki) And (The Pillow Book)

Relation between men and women
Name
Institution
Date
Relation between men and women
One of the strongest historical stories focusing on the relations between men and women attributes to the works of Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shongei. The two authors have been celebrated in history as the founders of the “women of the ancient Japan” by using imagery to express the real-life stories of women-men relations in the courts of the palace. This thesis builds on the topic of how women and men relate in the society in the context of Richard Bowring and Ivan Morris review of the Dairy Lady Murasaki and the pillow book respectively.
Bowring describes the physical appearance of women before men as fascinating in most of the events hosted at the palace especially during the emperors’ escorts. The author describes her displeasure on the way women are treated at the palace in a quote “Some of them were not properly powdered; here and there their skin showed through unpleasantly like the dark patches of earth in a garden where the snow has begun to melt.” Presumably these scene speaks volumes of neglect of the woman in the palace where resources and enough to take care of the needs of the woman. The woman in this context faces the challenges of good care by her masters despite the fact that they stay in the palace. In a balanced coexistence, it is expected that rights of everyone in the society are upheld. In this context, however, the strength of some rights such as rights to basic needs have been abused.
The authors point another aspect of the relation between men and women by voicing the issue of marriage. Marriage as a union factor for companionship that is instituted to bring together both women and men has been abused. Men have left some important roles such as caring for their wives and defiantly abandoned to care anymore. Morris illustrates an instance where a husband and a wife crossed each other due to some petty, trifling matter in the marriage. The woman goes in a hide to give her husband time to learn from his mistakes only to realize that nothing happens. "She is certain that he will rush about looking for her, but he does nothing of the kind and shows the most infuriating indifference." Instead of things becoming much better, it stands out that the outcome of the separation worsens the situation. Logically, the woman expected that her husband would come back to his senses once again but to no avail. Instead, she swallows her pride and submits to the man despite his uncaring actions. Depression in the marriages is crucially factored in by the authors. Morris describes extremes of depression caused by men when they cheat on their faithful wives. The author explains that men take advantage of "work" to hide in unfaithful affairs with other high-rank court ladies in the palace. The author quotes "Will he eventually tire of the woman and come back to us?". Though the question is rhetorical it insinuates the feeling of depression. Men have not been faithful to their wives to the extent that the vows of marriage become abused in its entirety. The family is shaken and unprecedented. As if it is not enough, man has regarded the adultery as normal. They do so by singing praises of the w...