History and present in coexistence

the traditional family system and the apparent submission of the japanese woman

Abstract

Long before the so-called westernization of Japan, in the 19th century, the female figure had had an enormous influence on Japanese society, present in the forms of mythical explanation about the origin of the world and of life since the Muromachi era (1336). For a long time, the idea of a faithful companion, guardian of the home and father of children had marked the Japanese woman in the old family circle, but procedurally opened the space for the emergence of the “new woman”, at the end of the second half of the 20th century. Thus, financial independence, professional achievement and greater security are recent achievements that coexist with pathological social problems from the postwar period onwards. Within this universe of research, we seek to analyze the social constitution process of Japanese women through certain phenomena in the history of Ancient and Modern Japan, such as the traditional family ie system and the transformations of the Meiji Era (1868-1912). Methodologically, it starts with literary analysis by articulating sociological precepts with studies on Japanese culture. This new scenario is authentic in the history of a secular country demarcated by patriarchal systems and rigid mechanisms of ethical-moral conduct. Past appearances and stigmas need to be analyzed through the eyes of the social scientist in order to apprehend the new singularities.