The Nature of Aristocratic Marriage and Family in the Mid-Heian Period

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Table of Contents

Background
Characteristic of the aristocratic marriages and families
Conclusion
Works Cited

Background

The Heian years in Japan had aristocratic rule. Records from the lives of those that lived during this period indicate their frustration and criticism on various issues including family and marriage systems of the time.

A few elite classes of people had their way in most things and did what they found pleasure in even if it did oppress others. Marriages and family life during the mid – Heian period were largely polygamist. Superior men took several women to be their wives. This was because of their vast wealth and power. Some like, Fujiwara Kanaie had nine wives for whom records exist as noted by Seidensticker Edward (7).

The beginning of these polygamous marriages was exciting. One of the undeniable facts was that women got married by men who in the Heian hierarchy were at least one level above them. This showed character and an indication of luck.

The involved parties wrote to each other standard love letters. The women focused on the men’s power, competence and possessions to the extent that they forgot to assess the impacts of getting married as a second, third, fourth or even fifth wife.

Reality soon dawned on them once they got married to these aristocrats. Seidensticker Edward (7) writes that often, polygamous marriages ended up to near complete separation.

Characteristic of the aristocratic marriages and families

The polygamous marriages of these aristocrats showed different characteristics as Seidensticker Edward examines in the book, Gossamer Years. First and foremost, these marriages were unhappy. Women who got married with the hope that they would have their husbands only to themselves got disappointed.

Once married, it became apparent to them that they had to compete with other women for their partner’s enthusiasm and passion. This was not an easy task.

The marriages were full of contention among the wives. The women expressed strong dissatisfaction and hostility towards each other. They exchanged angry words and even fought for the right to live with their husbands. The women not only showed venomous anger towards each other, but also ended up resenting their husbands, Seidensticker Edward (9).

The Heian marriage system had a list of many taboos and punishments which complicated it further. The women’s uncertain status and lack of satisfaction under the aristocratic marriages forced them to go to church to look for peace and happiness.

It was thus said that the Heian women became more religious than their husbands did. It is intriguing that the women, through their daughters of uxorious powers, had the ability to take control over their women rights infringement yet they did not.

This is mainly because power alone without connubial happiness was not enough. The poorly defined Heian marriage system denied the women the ability to react and advocate for their human rights, Seidensticker Edward (18, 19). The marriage system was so poorly articulated.

The newly married Heian woman would not leave her childhood home to meet her new husband. The gentleman (husband) had to face the lady in her childhood home for a while or visit her severally. This was simply because the man had several wives and mistresses whom he could not simply provide for.

Conclusion

The aristocratic marriage and family system in the mid – Heian period had wrong articulation. It robbed women of joy and their human rights. This was unacceptable and unfair.

Works Cited

Seidensticker, Edward. The Gossamer Years: The Diary of a Noblewoman of Heian Japan. Massachusetts: Tuttle Publishing, 2001. Web.

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The Nature of Aristocratic Marriage and Family in the Mid-Heian Period

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