The Key

Ted Goossen: HUMA 2435 Sonja Saffrey #210317865

Japan in the 1950’s was a time of feminist liberation, but many of the ideals that were

associated with femininity during that time, were considered very old fashioned or traditional. A survey of Japanese women conducted by Robert DORE in the 1950’s showed that most Japanese women associated femininity with being quiet, reserved, obedient, submissive, loyal, modest, and gentle. (Katzoff,1998) Tanizaki Junichiro’s novel The Key, Tanizaki offers a critique on “traditional” Japanese women living in post World War II Japan. His novel, while focusing on the main theme of love and its destructive ability, also analyzes the idea of the “submissive and obedient wife” and the sacredness of marriage as underlying themes as well.

Throughout Tanizaki’s novel, the wife Ikuko is pointed out as the conventional

“submissive and obedient wife” with constant reference to her “old fashioned Kyoto upbringing” from her own diary entries as well as her husband’s.1 She is also described by her husband as being, “furtive, fond of secrets, constantly holding back and pretending ignorance” and, “worst of all, regarding it as feminine modesty”, depicting her as the traditional Japanese woman.(p.4) For most of the story, Ikuko’s husband attempts to boost their deficient marriage with a series of schemes, prodding her towards infidelity so that they can improve their sexual relations. Ikuko, who becomes aware of her husbands intentions, and being a “submissive and obedient wife”, goes along with his wishes reasoning that it is “her duty to her husband”. Throughout The Key, Ikuko is shown as a victim of her situation, submitting to her husbands will because she believes that is her duty as a wife to her husband. Although she is portrayed as the victim, the impression changes from Ikuko responding to her husbands wishes out of a sense of duty to her responding

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All quotes from this point on will be cited from Tanizaki...