Saikuku’s View of Marriage
According to Saikuku, marriage and marital love was secondary to prostitution and male love, which came prior to marriage and its responsibilities. Japan during the samurai era was a male-dominated society so that importance of women and what they had to offer was quite less. Since the men ever since their childhood had had to spend much of their life among men and stay with during rough and tough times, their bondage and relationship was stronger. Sharing of feelings and ideas was common among men as they had grown up and lived together and also had shared intimacy with each other during their initial sexual experiences. Women on the other hand, were like ornaments, attached to them to produce their off-spring to become prominent parts of the society and create a good name of their fathers. They were cooks, cleaners and care takers and nothing more. Though, if the very same women were prostitutes they were considered highly esteemed as they were giving pleasure and real love to the society. Marriage on the other hand, was duty without emotional complications and involvements, like it is in the modern world.
Saikuku’s View of an Ideal Wife
Like emphasized earlier, the main duties of the wife involved were to cook, clean and take care of the family, children and the needs of the samurai, or men for that matter. They were the “˜hushed’ and “˜silenced’ part of the society and were to remain silent in the presence of men other than their husband. Japanese ancient figures of women were calm, humble, petite, soft spoken and all-rounders with household chores. There were matchmakers who would first judge the women for their ideality for men, and if they were very talented and exceptional then only were they forwarded to be considered for becoming the wives of the samurai. Only the privilege of becoming the wives of samurais was enough for them to last a lifetime with them and expect no more than a handful of children and enough money to survive the food, shelter, and clothing needs and to maintain social presence among the wives of other samurais. They were not the deciders of the family, the main decisions men made. Like elaborated earlier, they were silenced creatures, who were primarily executors of the orders of the men.