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Essay

"Yotsuya Kaidan" is the most common ghost story in Japan. Tsuruya Nanboku, the writer of the drama, wrote that based on a real incident of Oiwa. In the other side, Nanboku made it connect to the story of "Chushingura". So it is said that it is one of the episodes of "Chushingura".

Most dramas of Tsuruya Nanboku are erotic, grotesque and eccentric so much. So I love his works very much. Of course I love this drama, but I can't sympathize with Oiwa.

I think Oiwa was elder a little than Iemon. Iemon felt that Oiwa was so kind, hospitable, and convenient. He might have thought that Oiwa was suitable for his lover. But it was a misunderstanding.

When Oiwa had accepted Iemon, she might have thought that she was loved . And she might have wished to make a happy family with Iemon and his baby. But it was a misunderstanding.

Both reasons of their misunderstanding are the same. The reason is that Iemon wasn't adult enough.

If she had been a really rational person, Oiwa should have known that Iemon hadn't grown up enough as an adult. He couldn't have loved his baby.

But Oiwa wished stereotype happy family. It was an illusion. Oiwa had no methods to live except eating the illusion. Already she has been a ghastly apparition, before she was killed.

When Iemon refused everything that she wanted, Oiwa had to die. As soon as she died, she started revenge to Iemon and Ito clan. All of Ito family had died, and Iemon was attacked by Yomoshichi and Ohana at the last scene of the drama. But the stage ended before Iemon was killed.

If Oiwa's ghost achieved her revenge, she must have to disappear from a real world. It means her spirit rests in peace. I think that the writer of the drama, Nanboku, might have made on purpose the end of Iemon's life unclear in order that Oiwa's ghost has been living with her grudge forever. It is an interesting direction, and I agree with him.

There is a tomb of Oiwa in Tokyo till now. Actors and actresses performing the role of "Yotsuya Kaidan" generally go to the tomb in order to avoid any possible trouble with the ghost of Oiwa later. Because Oiwa has been living as a ghost forever.