OYUMI: You’re granting—
CHŌBEI: This child’s wishes?
IEMON: In exchange, I have a request myself.
KIHEI: And that is?
IEMON: Recommend me to Lord Moronao as a retainer.5
KIHEI: Done. I would have done that even if you hadn’t asked, now that we all are one family.
IEMON: If I take your granddaughter, we will be father and son-in-law. From this moment, I will change my name from Tamiya to Itō.6
OYUMI: As they say, the sooner, the better.
KIHEI: We’ll have the wedding ceremony tonight. Do you agree?
IEMON: Certainly. (To himself) Hmm, maybe I can put the blame on that masseur who comes to see Oiwa.
KIHEI: What?
IEMON: Oh, nothing. I suppose we can discuss the details later.
CHŌBEI: First things first. Now you should exchange wedding cups. I’ll be your go-between.
OUME: This is embarrassing.
OYUMI: She’s still a bit shy.
OUME (bashfully): Oh.
KIHEI: Well, son-in-law? (Takes out a marriage cup. Oume bashfully clings to Iemon.)
IEMON (changing his tone and putting his hand on Oume’s shoulder): Now that you are my wife, I’ll swear an oath on my sword.
OYUMI AND KIHEI: A blessing on you both. (They clasp their hands in prayerful thanks. The temple bell sounds. The music increases in volume and tempo as the stage revolves. The actors continue to celebrate the marriage as they are carried out of sight.)
Tamiya Iemon’s Residence
To heighten the tension, the large drum plays wind patterns, which derive from the sound of wind rattling the wooden sliding doors and shutters of the commoners’ houses. Takuetsu lights a lamp, sees how horribly Oiwa’s face has become disfigured, and staggers out to buy some lamp oil. He collapses in fear at center stage and finally makes it out the front door. He collapses again on the runway and tries to stand several times, but his legs keep collapsing under him. Finally he runs off. Oiwa takes the baby into the room at left; the audience still has not seen her face. A popular song is played, and the temple bell sounds. Iemon staggers down the runway, tipsy from drink. He stops outside the gate.
IEMON: Kihei claimed the drug wouldn’t kill her, only change her appearance. If she’s—I’ll look for myself first. (He enters the house. Languid music plays, evoking the heat of summer.)
OIWA (calling from inside the room): Takuetsu, are you back with the oil already?
IEMON: What oil? It’s me.
OIWA: Is that you, Iemon? (Iemon opens the sliding paper screens in front of the room at stage left. Oiwa is still hidden by the mosquito netting, which is almost opaque.)
IEMON: How are you feeling? Did the medicine help your circulation?
OIWA: It helped my circulation, but as soon as I took it, I broke into a terrible fever. My face felt like it was on fire.
IEMON: The fever felt the worst in your face?
OIWA: Yes, it’s all numb now. (She comes out of the mosquito netting. Iemon sees her and is shocked.)
IEMON: Oh, it’s changed so quickly.
OIWA: What’s changed?
IEMON: What I was saying was that—that while I was at Kihei’s, your face has changed, the color has come back into your cheeks. It must be the effect of the drug. Yes, you look like you’re getting better.
OIWA: I don’t know if my face looks better or worse. I feel just the same. It’s been like this day after day without a break. Iemon, if I died now, I would leave this world with no regrets—except for my child. It’s only pity for my child that keeps me tied to this wretched life. If I die, please don’t marry again, at least for a while.
IEMON: I’ll marry if I feel like it.
OIWA: What?
IEMON: I’ll find a new wife right away. I’ll get a better wife. So what? There are plenty of people who get married again.
OIWA: Iemon, you’re cruel! You were born heartless. I always knew what you were like. I married you because—
IEMON: You needed help to avenge your father’s murder. Well, I don’t feel like getting involved. Avenging murder is old-fashioned. Leave me out of it. We got married because you wanted a swordsman, but I’m not interested.
OIWA: What? So now—but you—
IEMON: So I don’t feel like it anymore. What are you going to do about it? If you don’t like it, leave. Go find someone else who has the time to waste on vendettas. Vendettas make me sick.
OIWA: If you refuse, I have no one else to turn to. I suppose I should have expected you to fail me. If you want me to go, I will. But what about the child? Will you have your new wife take care of our baby?
IEMON: If you don’t want a stepmother to have him, take the brat with you. I’m not giving up a chance for a good new wife for the sake of a stupid baby. But I need some cash; something came up. Do you have something you can lend me? Is there anything around here we can pawn? (Looks around and sees the ornamental comb on the floor) Why don’t I take this? (Picks it up)
OIWA (grabbing it from him): That’s the comb my mother left me. I’ll never let that out of my sight.
IEMON: You won’t, will you? Well, my new woman doesn’t have a nice dress comb, so she keeps asking me to buy her one. What’s wrong with giving her this one?
OIWA: This is the one thing I can never give up.
IEMON: Then give me something I can buy a comb with. Also, I need to dress up tonight, so I need to get my good clothes out of hock. Lend me something! Come on, make it quick. (Shoves her. The languid music begins again.)
OIWA: There’s nothing left to speak of, but perhaps this? (She takes off her outer kimono, leaving herself dressed only in a thin, pale gray underkimono, which makes her look more ghostlike.) I’m sick, but since you asked for something, I’ll give you this. (She hands the kimono to Iemon.)
IEMON (examining the clothing): This won’t bring enough. I need more. Isn’t there anything else? How about the mosquito netting? (He takes it down and starts to go. She clutches at the net.)
OIWA: Wait! Without a mosquito net, my baby will be eaten alive by mosquitoes as soon as it gets dark. (She takes back the net.)
IEMON: If the mosquitoes start eating him, your job as a parent is to chase them away. Let go! I said, let go! (He tugs roughly. Oiwa is dragged along the floor with the net. Finally he kicks her and pulls the net away, her fingernails caught in the net. Oiwa lets out a cry and holds up her hands; her fingertips are covered with blood, showing that the nails have been torn away.)
IEMON: This still isn’t enough, you stingy bitch! (A popular song and a temple bell are heard as Iemon goes up the runway, stops, and looks up as he calculates how much he can pawn the items for. Then he exits.)
OIWA: Iemon! I can’t let you have the mosquito net. (Goes to the door) He’s already gone. He took the only thing I couldn’t give up. Even though I’m weak and sick, I hung on to it for dear life for the sake of my child. The net’s torn my fingernails away. (Stares at her blood-covered fingers) Iemon, you’re so cruel. I feel sorry for my poor baby when I think that he’s your flesh and blood. (She broods. The baby cries. Oiwa stands unsteadily, looking around. She finally pulls out a small brazier and wearily starts burning incense to drive away the mosquitoes. Iemon reappears on the runway with the kimono and mosquito netting slung over his shoulder. He has Takuetsu in tow.)
Iemon takes Oiwa’s clothing and the mosquito net and drags her across the floor. Oiwa, her face half swollen, is left wearing only a single underkimono. A brazier burns pine needles.
TAKUETSU: Master, you’re going too far. If you do that, everyone will talk about me and Oiwa.
IEMON: I’ll fix it all if you do your part right. (He whispers his plan in Takuetsu’s ear.)
TAKUETSU: Then you’re going to have the wedding tonight?
IEMON: Keep it quiet. Here. (He shows him a small gold coin wrapped in paper.)7
TAKUETSU: You’re giving me this gold coin? To make me—
IEMON: Do
it right, and it’s yours. (He gestures with his sword to show what will happen if Takuetsu refuses.)
TAKUETSU: Yes, I understand. (After Iemon has exited) What a mess I’m in now! Oiwa, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting so long. Here’s the oil. (He picks up the lantern.)
OIWA (resignedly fanning the incense burner): You’re back? So soon? After you left, Iemon came and took away the mosquito net.
TAKUETSU: Back to the pawnshop, eh? Tsk, tsk, how very thoughtless of him. What will happen to you and the baby without it? Well now, look at you. My, how thin your kimono is.
OIWA: Even though I’m sick and shouldn’t get chilled, Iemon forced me to give him my kimono.
TAKUETSU: Really? How unfortunate. What hard times you’ve been through. Instead of all that trouble, wouldn’t it be better to find another man? Think about it. I used to read palms. Let me look. (Goes to Oiwa, takes her hand, and looks intently at the palm, looking for an excuse to try to seduce her) Look at this, there’s an unlucky line running through your palm. According to this, your husband will cause you endless pain. It says here that you should cut off this line, cut off all ties with that man. (As he says this, Oiwa looks at Takuetsu. He sees her face, gasps, and turns away.)
OIWA (jumping up in surprise): What are you trying to do? Remember, I’m the wife of a samurai. If you try anything like that again, I won’t forgive you next time.
TAKUETSU: Wait! Your faithfulness will only hurt you, Iemon lost his love for you long ago. If you insist on staying with him, it will lead to nothing but more misfortune. I’m the man for you.
OIWA: What? Rather than patiently enduring hardships with my rightful husband, I should turn to you? Explain yourself. Are you trying to lure me into adultery? You insolent creature! Even though I’m only a woman, I am the wife and the daughter of samurai. Do you think you can get away with talking that way to me? (Picks up Kohei’s sword, deftly unsheathes it, and confronts Takuetsu) There must be a reason you’re doing this, tell me!
TAKUETSU (shaking): Put that down, it’s dangerous! You’ll get hurt! (He tries to grab Oiwa’s hand. They struggle back and forth. Finally he grabs the sword, tosses it into the room at left, and holds her down in a seated position. The sword lands against the pillar of the room, with the tip sticking out.) Listen. It was all a lie. What I said just now was all a lie. Really, calm down! Even a poor wretch like me wouldn’t want a woman with your awful face. I don’t know why this was fated to happen, but on top of your sickness, now your face. It breaks my heart.
OIWA: My face? Along with the fever there was a sudden pain, could that have—?
TAKUETSU: It is a woman’s fate to be deceived. That miracle drug for your circulation that you got from Kihei was all a trick. It was a poison meant to change a person’s face, an extraordinary poison. When you took it, your face changed and now you look like an ugly, evil woman. Don’t you know that? How pitiful. (He goes to the back of the room and takes her mirror off its stand.) Here, if you want to know, look at this. Look at your face in this. (He stands behind her and forces her to look in the mirror.)
OIWA: Ahh, my face is gray, gray as my kimono. What’s happened to my face? Is this my face? Have I really changed into a demon? (She holds the mirror at various angles, hoping that the image will change. She huddles on the floor and cries, leaving the mirror on the floor beside her.)
TAKUETSU: This play had another author, Kihei’s granddaughter Oume. She wanted Iemon to be her husband, but her family knew that Iemon already had a wife. Kihei has gold to spare and thought he could buy Iemon, but he worried that perhaps Iemon had some feeling of loyalty to you. To make absolutely sure he wouldn’t be refused, Kihei tricked you with this medicine. He thought that if your faced changed, your husband’s love would run out. Poor Oiwa, you innocently took the medicine, not knowing a thing. What a sad situation. (Her face has been gradually revealing her growing fury as she looks intently at the mirror.)
OIWA (spoken with great deliberateness):
I never guessed the
truth these gifts concealed,
sent day after day by our good neighbor Itō Kihei.
My heart swelled with thanks.
Even when the wet nurse came, the destructive poison in her hand,
to cause my ruin, I clapped my hands in gratitude.
Now each time I think of it, my heart fills with shame.
They must laugh and laugh at me.
Bitter, oh how bitter, is this humiliation. (She lies on the floor sobbing.)
TAKUETSU (drawing near):
Iemon has run out of love for you.
As bridegroom of the house of Itō, he plotted to rid himself of you.
“Play my wife’s lover,” he ordered.
I replied, “Never!” and up came his sword.
So we have no choice but to play out our little comedy.
He stripped you of your robe, cruelly tearing it away.
But now the truth is revealed.
Tonight! The wedding is tonight.
By pawning your things,
money for the preparations fell into the bridegroom’s hands.
He ordered me to seduce you and to flee with you as lovers do,
so that when he leads his bride here, you won’t be an obstacle for them.
I was to be the made-to-order lover,
but that terrible face of yours keeps tender passion down.
Forgive me, please forgive me.
OIWA (strengthening her resolve): Now all that is left to me is suffering and death. But while I still have breath, I must go and thank Master Kihei properly. (She stands unsteadily and begins to stagger to the front door.)
TAKUETSU: No, no! If you go out looking like that, people will think you’re a madwoman. (Pushes her back) Your clothing is torn and—your—face—(He stops and inadvertently looks up at her face, shrieks, and looks down. They are just at the spot where the mirror is still lying on the floor. Takuetsu and Oiwa are transfixed by the horrible image in the mirror.)
OIWA (takes the mirror and looks carefully):
How frightful—the hair of the woman in the mirror.
I must blacken my teeth as married women do.
Then I must dress my hair.
I must look proper to give Kihei and Oume, parent and child,
one small word of thanks.
(Quietly) Bring me my tooth blackening.
AKUETSU: But you’re still sick and weak. You’ve just given birth. It’s not safe for you to go out.
OIWA: It’s quite all right. Bring my tooth blackening quickly.
TAKUETSU: But—
OIWA (firmly): I said, bring it right now.
TAKUETSU (startled by her firmness): Yes. (A singer accompanied by a shamisen begins singing a plaintive song. Takuetsu brings the lantern, a large metal container, and a stick of blackening. Oiwa sets up the mirror on a stand and sits down in the center of the main room. She rinses her mouth, wipes her teeth dry, and then applies the blackening.8 She messily covers the corners of her mouth, which makes it look as though her mouth is monstrously wide. The baby, who has been sleeping in the other room, starts to cry. Takuetsu tries to comfort him and put him to sleep. Takuetsu clears away the utensils while Oiwa spreads some paper on the floor and takes her comb from her kimono.)
OIWA (singing):
My precious comb, all that is left from my mother.
After my death, this comb must go to my sister, Osode.
This is my one remaining wish.
My father, my husband, my sister, and I
all are tied together by bonds thousandfold.
As I dream of the one thing I can do for my sister,
let the teeth of this comb pass through my hair
and straighten out its tangled strands.
(Oiwa has Takuetsu cut the cord holding her hair in place. She sweeps her hair forward over her head and begins combing it. Hair comes out in great handfuls.9 The hair piles up on the floor. When Oiwa sweeps her hair back, her hairline has
receded considerably, leaving the grotesque swelling above her right eye totally exposed. This action is emphasized by doro-doro drum patterns, which suggest strange occurrences. She drops the comb on the pile of hair.)
Oiwa stands in front of a dressing table, her hair disheveled and her swollen face fully exposed, tying her sash with a determined look. She has turned away from her dressing table, where she has just blackened her teeth using the mirror and ceramic bowl at her feet. The end of Kohei’s sword sticks out from the pillar behind her. The small cartouche (upper left) shows the next scene, in which Iemon slays Kohei.
Every moment is uncertain, as the end comes for Oiwa.
But one thing is sure, the moment I die he will marry that girl.
I can see the scene right before my eyes.
Now I have nothing but hatred for you, Iemon,
and hate for the house of Kihei, hatred for the Itō family.
None of you shall ever escape to a life of peace.
The more I think about it
the more my heart is filled with bitter, bitter hatred.
She picks up the pile of hair and tries to go to the door, but Takuetsu stops her, pushing her back with the standing screen. Oiwa’s face twists with fury, and she begins to wring her bundle of hair. Blood drips from the hair onto the white screen in front of her. Clappers strike to emphasize the dripping of blood.)
TAKUETSU (seeing the blood and shaking): Ahh, ah, ah, ahh. She’s squeezing blood from her hair.
OIWA: My fury will not rest until it reaches its goal!
TAKUETSU: Oiwa, please, please! (He grabs Oiwa and tries to stop her, unintentionally letting go of her and sending her tottering into the room at stage left. Oiwa tries to reenter the main room and accidentally cuts her throat on Kohei’s sword stuck in a pillar. She gestures with painful spasms, emphasized by the sharp clanging of a prayer bell. Finally, she collapses on the floor and dies.)
TAKUETSU (shaking): Oh no, no. Kohei’s sword was there. I wanted to stop her, but not like this. Oh, oh, how awful, awful. (Doro-doro drum patterns and the nō flute played breathlessly produce an eerie effect. A rat appears and tries to tug at the baby.10 Takuetsu shoos it away. A green spirit flame floats near Oiwa’s body.) I can’t stay here any longer! (The terrified Takuetsu runs out the front door, continually slipping and falling in his haste. Iemon enters the runway dressed in a magnificent formal costume and runs into Takuetsu.)
Early Modern Japanese Literature: An Anthology, 1600–1900 Page 120