A Literature Review on Japanese Tragic Female Images—In Case of Memories of Matsuko

Abstract

Memories of Matsuko is a masterpiece by the popular modern Japanese author Muneki Yamada, with a circulation of 1.2 million copies including the pocket edition book. The work portrays a tragic woman, Matsuko Kawajiri, who despites all her hardships, still laughs at life and courageously pursues love. However, such an active woman has come to a tragic end. Thus, the literary figure of Matsuko Kawajiri embodies the tragic nature of modern Japanese women from multiple perspectives, including the family and the workplace, and can be said to have representative characteristics.