The Love Suicides at Amijima (心中天網島)

The Love Suicides at Amijima (心中天網島)

The Love Suicides at Amijima (心中天網島) is a domestic play directed by Masahiro Shinoda (篠田 正浩) in 1969. This movie was adapted from a three-act play by dramatist Chikamatsu Monzaemon (近松 門左衛門) in 1971. It is a beautiful but sad story about suicide.

Koharu is a young geisha at the Kinokuni House. She falls in love with a married paper merchant Jihei. Jihei loses interest in his wife, he just wants to marry Koharu. However, in the beginning, Jihei has not enough money to ransom Koharu. After three years, Jihei still can’t fulfill his goal. However, at that time, a rich man named Tahei ransoms Koharu in advance of Jihei. Koharu doesn’t wish to follow Tahei. So she wants to commit suicide with Jihei for love. But Jihei’s family tells Koharu that they don’t want Jihei to commit suicide. And so then, Kohura chooses to pretend that she doesn’t love Jihei anymore. After knowing Koharu would be ransomed by a rich man, Jihei’s wife Osan foresees Koharu would choose to commit suicide. So, Osan also agrees that she would go back to her family and leave Jihei. Fundamentally, after that, Jihei is divorced from his wife. Therefore, he has no choice but find Koharu and elope. In the end, Jihei finds Koharu. At Amijima, they stop here and say love to each other. Finally, Koharu asks Jihei to kill her, and then Jihei kills himself. A few days ago, their bodies are found under a bridge.

In this melodramatic story, Jihei tries to look for freedom and love. As a traditional merchant, he is bound and he feels depressed. In addition, I also think it is an irony for feudal social system. Finally, Jihei and Koharu overgo the gap of their social class and die together. Jihei and Koharu find a way to totally liberate their selves.

I think suicide is a common element in Japanese literature and arts. Suicide is an important content for us to know Japan. In Thomas Elsaesser’s article, he said that “Melodrama is often used to describe tragedy that doesn’t quite come off.” (65) - Thomas Elsaesser (Tales of Sound and Fury) As an end of this story, I still confused that whether it is a bad ending. Maybe this ending is the best way for Koharu and Jihei.

The style of this drama is very special. It adopted Joruri(浄瑠璃), a traditional Japanese narrative music as a storytelling. It makes this movie seems more interesting. The music by Takemitsu Touru also successfully created the depressed and traditional atmosphere.