The Woman-Killer and the Hell of Oil

The Woman-Killer and the Hell of Oil (女殺油地獄, Onnagoroshi abura no jigoku) is a Bunraku play by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, also performed in kabuki.

The play was first performed August 9, 1721 on the bunraku stage. It is supposedly based on actual events that were said to have taken place the night before Boy's Festival in 1721, however little is known about the crime. The play was not well received when it was first performed, and it wouldn't be until the Meiji Era when it was picked up by Tsubouchi Shōyō and was brought back into the kabuki repertoire in 1909, but wouldn't be revived in bunraku until 1947. It was during the Meiji Period that the play began to be considered a masterpiece and started to be performed frequently. It is the only sewamono (contemporary setting plays in Japanese traditional theatre) to feature a murderer as the 'hero' role.

Plot

The Woman-Killer and the Hell of Oil is a play in three acts. The main character is Yohei, a 23 year old oil merchant, who frequently runs up debts and spends a lot of time in the licensed quarter.

Act One

The first act takes place as people are pilgrimages to the Temple of Kanzeon in Nozaki. Waxy of Aizu, a rich customer, whose fallen in love with Kogiku a courtesan of the Flower House in the Sonezaki licensed quarter. He's taken her on a boat ride to Nozaki to see the temple. They disembark at Sarara just before Nozaki.

Along comes Okichi, age 27, and her three daughters, the oldest one being 9. The middle child Okiyo, who's 6 asks to stop for tea at a nearby stall. Okichi agrees so that they can wait on her husband, Teshimaya Shichizaemon an oil merchant, to catch up with them. As they are resting along comes their neighbor, Yohei, who lives with his parents in a house diagonal to Okichi's. Yohei has come with some fellow oil merchants who are his friends.

Okichi seeing Yohei asks him and his friends to join her. They begin talking and Okichi finds out that Yohei is waiting to catch Kogiku who rejected his offer to go on the pilgrimage, giving the reason that Nozaki was in an unlucky direction and wouldn't go no matter who asked. Okichi then chastises Yohei for his behavior, using the pilgrimage as an excuse, and spending so much time in the licensed quarter. He tells him of all the rumors going on around him, and how he's frequently running up debts. Okichi then leaves money for the drinks, and goes on a ahead.

Kogiku and Waxy then approach the tea stand. At first they don't notice Yohei and his friends but when Kogiku does she tries to get away. However, Yohei is too quick and pulls her to a bench outside the tea house. Yohei then berates Kogiku for going out with another customer after declining his invitation. Kogiku however, says that she only did it because of all the rumors circulating about Yohei and herself. She promises she loves him and whispers sweet nothings into his ear. Waxy then sits down next to the two of them, aggravated. He presses Kogiku to repeat what she told him last night. Yohei's friends then prepare to fling mud at Waxy. Waxy then kicks them, knocking one out and he splashes in the water. The other is kicked in the groin and doubles up in pain. Yohei joins the fight, and they trade punches. They eventually both crash into the river and throw mud and reads at one another.

While that is happening Oguri Hachiya, a samurai visiting the temple in the name of his lord Takatsuki. He is escorted by by a procession of foot soldiers who cry out "Make way! Make way!" However, Yohei continues to sling mud. Some splatters on the samurai and his horse. Waxy heads to the other bank and escapes, while Yohei is surrounded. Head of the foot soldiers, Yamamoto Moriemon, is Yohei's uncle and since he's caused such a disgrace has decided to cut off Yohei's head. Oguri Hachiya stops him from doing it since the sight of blood would ruin the pilgrimage. Yamamoto Moriemon decided he'll just cut off his head on the way back.

Yohei is left in shock and since he's not good with directions can't seem to find which way it is back to Osaka so that he can escape. Just then Okichi has turned back since the crowd was so large, and was deciding to wait at the tea house again for her husband. Yohei begs for her help. Okichi decides to help him out and wipe down his kimono, and they enter the tea house.

Then Okichi's husband Teshimaya Shichizaemon finalyl comes along. Okiyo his daughter sees him, and he asks where her mother is. Okiyo says that she's with Yohei and they've taken off their sashes and kimonos. Shichizaemon grows angry, thinking that his wife is having an affair with Yohei. He orders them to come out of the tea house. Okichi comes out, thankful that her husband has finally caught up with them. Yohei expresses his gratitude for Okichi's help. Yohei's face is still covered in mud. Shichizaemon chastises his wife for not thinking about what people would say if they saw the two of them together wiping him down.

Thus Shichizaemon, Okichi, and their three daughters head off to go to the temple. Then Yohei hears the cries of "Make way! Make way!" as and Oguri Hachiya is returning from the temple. Yohei tries to get away, but is caught by his uncle Moriemon. Oguri Hachiya though tells him to let Yohei go since he's changed and no longer has mud on him. Yohei is spared.

Act Two

Act Two takes place at the Kawachi-ya, an oil shop in Osaka tree days before the Boys' Festival. Pilgrims who had just returned from a mountain pilgrimage talk to Tokubei and Osawa, Yohei's stepfather and mother. Tokubei is not Yohei's biological father, and instead was a servant of Yohei's father and after he died he married Osawa and took over the oil shop. Osawa mention that their daughter, Okachi has been sick with a cold for over a week. The pilgrims mention a mountain priest named White Fox, who can cure her. After the pilgrims depart, Tahei (Yohei's older brother) arrives bearing a letter from their Uncle Moriemon mentioning the incident with Yohei in Act One and that he can no longer serve his master and will be traveling to Osaka. Tahei tells his parents to throw Yohei out once and for all. However, Tokubei is self-conscious of his position as stepfather and the former servant of Yohei's late father. Still Tahei tells him to disinherit Yohei.

Okachi cries out in anguish and the mountain priest arrives, as Tahei then exits. Osawa is also out getting medicine for Okachi. Yohei then arrives and degrades the priest, stating that the sickness Okachi has is mortal and that the best doctor could not hope to cure it. He then lies to Tokubei stating that he meet his Uncle Moreimon stating that his Uncle embezzled three kamme of silver and if he cannot return the money by the holidays he'll be forced to committ seppuku. Tokubei knowing that Yohei is lying due to having just read the letter from the Uncle that Tahei delivered says that he doesn't have any money to lend and if Yohei is so interested in helping that he should liquidate his assets and then he might have enough.

Yohei then sprawls out on the floor playing with an abacus as the priest examines Okachi. The priest determines that her sickness is from her melancholy arising from the desire to get married. As the priest is about to start the prayer, Okachi speaks in a trance stating that the way to cure her is to call off the wedding engagements and that Yohei's debts and pain bring her agony. She asks that they redeem the woman Yohei loves (Kogiku) and let her be his bridge and give him his own household. The Priest then attempts to exorcise the demon. Yohei however springs to his feet and pushes the priest from the room. The Priest attempts to come back into the room but every time he does Yohei casts him out again. Finally the priest gives up and Yohei goes over to Tokubei begging that he listen to what Okachi said.

However Tokubei refutes it saying that if he redeems the prostitute that Yohei loves he will destroy the family's and then he won't be able to pray for Yohei's late father. Yohei then asks if it is his intention to get a husband for Okachi and give him the household, which Tokubei confirms. Yohei now in anger kicks Tokubei who falls, and Yohei continues to stomp on him. Okachi then runs over trying to stop Yohei, clinging to him and begging that he stop. She then confesses that she wasn't actually sick but was just acting as Yohei had asked her to. Yohei in anger that she relieved their secret then kicks her down as well and continues to kick them both. Osawa then returns and cries out in dismay, she seizes Yoehi by the hair and hits him in the face, as she wipes away tears from her face, and berates him saying that he should respect his father and sister. Osawa then casts Yohei out and disinheirts him. Okachi begs their mother not to do it and forgive Yohei. Osawa then berates Tokubei for not standing up for himself. Osawa then grabs a poll in order to drive Yohei from the house, but he quickly tears it away from her and then uses it to attack her. Tokubei steps in and wrenches away the poll and attacks Yohei in return, his eyes glare with rage but hold tears. Tokubei then relievals that he had not intension to adopt a husband for Okachi and that it was merely a ruse in order to try and motivate Yohei and goes on about how much he has cared for Yohei like a real father, yet Yohei has shown nothing but selfishness and beats his own mother and sister. He then breaks down in tears dropping the pole. Osawa, picking it up once more, then chases Yohei from the shop, despite attempts from Okachi from stopping her. Finally Yohei crosses the threshold and leaves.

As Yohei walks away Tokubei breaks down in tears, commenting that as the years pass Yohei looks more and more like that of the late master. He comments that he feels that he is not driving away Yohei, but his master himself and that he is heartbroken. Osakwa though she called Yohei a villain can no longer fight back the tears either and attempts to see a passing glance of Yohei though he is now too far away.

Act Three

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Adaptations

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References

• Chikamatsu, Monzaemon, 1653-1725. Major plays of Chikamatsu. Translated by Donald Kenne. New York : Columbia University Press, c1990.

External links

Category:Bunraku plays Category:1721 plays Category:Edo-period works