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LCS 2110 Artistic Creativity and Art Appreciation


HUANG Kaiming
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Introduction 3
Sada Abe as a female image in the movie 4
The sexual desire of Sada Abe 5
The possession and control of Kichizo by Sada Abe 6
View of the movie 8
Shortage of the movie 8
Conclusion 10
References 10
























eminism in Japanese movie The Realm of the Senses

Introduction
~eter a Iilm or literature is Ieminist works or not , people generally used te
Iollowing points to distinguis :

1 eter te works are Irom te Iemale writer or director or not
2 eter te protagonist is a woman or not
3 eter it is described in te Iemale perspective or not
4 eter te work perIormances women's values, world view, etc. or not
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OI course Nagisa Osima is not woman , but in strict sense The Realm of the
Senses is still a Ieminist Iilm as
Its protagonist is a woman
It is described in te Iemale perspective
It also perIormances te women`s values or world view about sex and love

~Japanese director Nagisa Osima used te story oI Abe SpeciIic Incident ,
wic socked te wole Japan in 1936 , as a background Ior te movie The Realm of
the Senses . Te actor and actress in te movie aving pleasure by indulging in
sexual intercourse days and nigts . To obtain a iger sexual satisIaction tey
experience an unimaginable & perverted sexual intercourse . en te pursuit oI
sexual satisIaction is close to deat , teir intercourse as become a ritual , a
ceremony to release te libido and even a ceremony between love and deat .
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Tis article will analysis wy The Realm of the Senses is a Ieminist Iilm
in-dept Iollowing te points below :


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1 Sada Abe as a Iemale image in te movie
2 Te sexual desire oI Sada Abe
3 Te possession and control oI Kicizo by Sada Abe
4 View oI te movie
5 Sortage oI te movie

Sada Abe as a female image in the movie
Te external image oI Sada Abe as a Iemale does not cange , wit te
traditional socially acceptable clotes and long air . But Sada Abe as only Iemale
protagonist and a new image in te movie , er special place is te canging oI er
tinking as a woman .
DiIIerent Irom traditional Ieminism , te cange oI Sada Abe does not Iocus on
er external image , wic usually sould be canged like a man . Nagisa Osima
gave a special ideological wake Ior er .
irst , Sada Abe acknowledges er past . emale usually as a subsidiary oI
men , teir own past , present or Iuture seem to belong to er male also . In
patriarcal society , tere seems no question about te recognition oI Iemale by
temselves . emale is only recognized by male . But Sada Abe was given a strong
demonstration oI selI-recognition . Te maid said Sada Abe is a lustIul prostitute at
te Iirst time se came to Kicizo`s ome , Sada Abe did not cry or Ieel sad , but
insisted tat se was not prostitute . Se understood tat se was Iorced by liIe but
not lewd in eart . en er reputation was viliIied , Sada Abe neiter umbly
accepted nor asked er male Ior elp like a traditional women . Se cose to speak
out Ior erselI , and was not aIraid oI sowing er violent . Traditional women
always build teir own Ieminine image intentionally or unintentionally , and tried to
cover up teir violent . But Sada Abe picked up te kniIe , and striking to te
enemies wo slandered er .
Second , Sada Abe can make er own decision . In patriarcal society , women
can only make teir own decision in trivial matters , in many case , tey ave to obey
te men`s arrangement . In The Realm of the Senses Sada Abe eloped wit Kicizo


and build teir own 'Iamily , wic is decided by Sada Abe . Tere can be seen
tat Sada Abe is not a traditional virtuous woman wic usually tink sould not as
er own tinking . Sada Abe as er own tinking , own discretion and er
discretion is even more tan men , wic represented by Kicizo in te movie .
Tird , Sada Abe is te ead oI te Iamily , se ave to bear te responsibility oI
Iamily income . Sada Abe used to be te maid at Kicizo Iamily , tat is because se
ave to repay er usband`s bill , in tis case se is te source oI er Iamily income ;
but even eloped wit Kicizo , Sada Abe still serves as a source oI Iamily income , in
order to maintain teir lives , Sada Abe still needs to go out Ior work , but not
Kicizo .
Tese tree points wic summary above ave already illustrated te new
Iemale image oI Sada Abe wo as er own selI-consciousness , discretion and
economic independence .

The sexual desire of Sada Abe
No matter in te west nor te east , people are sy to tell about sex in Iront oI
oters , not only in Iront oI public but our close Iriends and Iamilies . Te interested
oI sex will always bring oter strange eyes . Men will sometime tell about sex as a
joke privately , sometime will also sow teir desire oI sex . But tis does not mean
Iemale can . emale sould not ave sex desire , iI not , se will be slut in people`s
eyes . In Te Realm oI te Senses , Sade Abe was called 'LustIul prostitute as se
as great sex desire .
But sex as a basic need oI uman being , Sexual desire is bot innate and
insatiable
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, wy we will sy to talk about it ? y men can talk about sex in some
cases but Iemale can`t or even not allow ?
In patriarcal society , Iemale as been portrayed as a oly image . In bot te
est and te East , sex as been regarded as a symbol oI desire wic is Iilty . In
patriarcal society , Iemale sould be oly , tereIore tey sould not be contaminated
wit Iilt . In addition , in patriarcal society Iemale is not only a oly image , but

Civilization and its Discontents : p.101




also sentimental , silly and vulnerable to temptation . In order to prevent Iemale not
to be tempted by sex , patriarcal society does not allow Iemale involve anyting
about sex . In oter and , men as te social spire , tey can give teir privilege oI
talking about sex , as tey tink tat teir reason can resist te temptation oI sex .
TereIore , men are not aIraid oI talking about sex .
But Sada Abe is a special case . In The Realm of the Senses , tere as no
cover oI er sexual desire , more importantly , Sada Abe`s sexual desire comes Irom
te bottom oI er own , witout any external oIIers . Traditional Iemale tend to , and
will only , sow teir sexual desire wile teir men provocative tem . Sada Abe is a
new Iemale image , er value is tat se does not ide and not suppress er desire oI
sex . In Te Realm oI te Senses , most oI te plots is sowing te sexual desire oI
Sada Abe . Her sexual desire even makes Kicizo said :Te only time Ior te penis
to rest is to allow it to te toilet . Toug Kicizo said so , Sada Abe does not give
up , se even require Kicizo to ave sexual intercourse and urine togeter . In
addition , wile walking , Sada Abe will old Kicizo`s penis all te time ; toug
Kicizo as already asleep , Sada Abe will keep is penis in er mout all te
nigt .. Tese examples wic sowed above are all te perIormances oI Sade Abe
sexual desire .
Sada Abe does not suppress er sexual desire . Se is a new woman wo is
loyal to erselI .

The possession and control of Kichizo by Sada Abe
Te possession and control oI Kicizo by Sada Abe is a symbol oI Iemale
subverts te patriarcal society . In patriarcal society , Iemale always be a
subsidiary oI er man . Tey always be occupied and controlled by men . Tere
as an old Cinese saying 'listen to your Iater wen you are at ome ; listen to your
broter wen you are outside ; listen to your usband wen you are married wic is
a very brieIly explanation oI tis situation .
emale be occupied and controlled by men not only in te terms oI ideology but
also in te body . In patriarcal society , Iemale are tamed as cute little seep ,


wic ave already lost teir own ideas . Tey will always teir men are rigt and
ave to seek te consent oI teir men beIore tey do anyting . Tat is wy you will
Iind a lot oI important decisions at ome , your moter will listen to your Iater .
Te body possession and control oI Iemale is directly reIlected in sexual possession
and control . Te sexual possession and initiative are attributable to men . Can you
tink tis : wile a man does not allow is woman as sexual relationsip wit oter
men , e is always enjoying one-nigt stand . OI course , tis situation always
appens . (Maybe te reason oI tis situation is like Jordan Can`s words in en
Suddenly In Black( : one-nigt stand makes me Ieel guilty , and tis guilt
promotes me to be better to my wiIe . Can you tink anoter situation : every times ,
wo require te sexual intercourse Iirst ? You or your beloved ? OI course , it is
te men . Tere is one more situation , wen Iemale does not want to , men will
always use teir skill , suc as violent , to let Iemale listens to tem and IulIills teir
requirement .
Sada Abe as a new Iemale image in The Realm of the Senses , er possession
and control oI sex cannot be passive . Sada Abe controls Kicizo bot ideological
and pysical . In terms oI ideology , tere is a plot in te movie wic Sada Abe
turns oII all Kicizo`s clotes , Sada Abe says : 'iI you really want to wear someting ,
just wear my clotes , in order to make im Ieel sy and will not leave te otel to go
back to is wiIe . In Iact , Kicizo wears Sada Abe and leaves te otel , e runs in
te street to get back is Ireedom . He does can go back to is wiIe at tat moment ,
but at te end , e cooses to go back to Sada Abe` arms . It can be said tat at tat
moment , Kicizo`s ideology as already be assimilated by Sada Abe . In terms oI
body , sexual love in te movie , Kicizo as no decision . In The Realm of the
Senses , it is always Sada Abe requires sexual intercourse Iirst , and Kicizo cannot
say no to er . As I ave already talked above , even toug Kicizo wants to go to
te toilet to let is penis as a rest , e still cannot say 'NO wen Sada Abe asks Ior .
Oter more , Kicizo also cannot say 'NO wen Sada Abe asks im to ave sexual
intercourse wit old geisa . It is similar to te Ancient Tibetan Dynasty (>
, wic te men in Tibetan royal Iamily will ask teir wives to ave sexual


intercourse wit Ioreign dignitaries or diplomats .
Sada Abe is a strong Iemale in te movie . Her coercion oI Kicizo is even a
symbol oI Iemale`s coercion oI men . Actually , tis meaning as already been
sowed at te beginning oI te movie , wic wit strong irony oI patriarcal society .
At te beginning , Sada Abe does not Ieel pity to te old beggar , but contempt . It is
a disdain to te patriarcal society . And at te end , Kicizo not only be killed , is
penis also be cut by Sada Abe wile tey ave sexual intercourse . It is undoubtedly
bot te castration oI patriarcal society and te symbol oI victory Ior new Iemale .

View of the movie
Anoter reason to say The Realm of the Senses is a Ieminist work , it is te view
wic director uses Ior te movie . In patriarcal society , Iemale in te movies or in
te daily is always being watced by men , or even be an object oI voyeuristic . ~To
see is not only a natural sense oI watcing , but also a symbol oI possession and
control . It is te symbol oI men`s possession and control oI Iemale
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. Te view
oI The Realm of the Senses is te view oI Iemale . No matter inside or outside te
movie , it is Iemale wo watces te development oI te story . Inside te movie , it
is Iemale , especially tose geisas wo ave a strong desire oI sex but suppress
because oI te social morality , wo peers Sada Abe and Kicizo aving sexual
intercourse . Ten , outside te movie , audiences pries te story troug Sada Abe`s
eyes . Unlike Japanese porn movies , wic Iocuses on te 'cras oI sexual organs
or 'split Iemale into diIIerent parts Ior men to enjoy . The Realm of the Senses
presents in te view oI Iemale . It is an examination oI Kicizo by Sada Abe , an
examination oI ow te outside world looks at er love wit Kicizo .
Te view oI The Realm of the Senses is te view oI Sada Abe , a Iemale view .

Shortages of the movie
As a Ieminist movie , Te Realm oI te Senses still as its inadequacies .
Especially in te Iollowing areas :

Baidubaike : Te meaning oI seeing in eminism




1 emale betrays temselves in te movie ;
2 emale , including Sada Abe , still depends on men ;
3 emale , including Sada Abe , still be an object in te movie .
irst , wy Iemale betrays temselves in te movie ? Besides Sada Abe , tere
are many geisas in te movie , same as Sada Abe , tey are also a symbol oI te
wole Iemale . Tey ave selI-awakening oI sex , wic sould be a symbol oI new
Iemale . UnIortunately , toug te geisas ave great interest in sexual intercourse
oI Sada Abe and Kicizo , tey peeps , even tries to ave sexual intercourse , tey still
cannot escape te concept oI te patriarcal society in te end . Men`s desire Ior sex
and ave a large number oI 'sockets are not regarded as a sameIul beavior .
However , Sada Abe`s sexual desire and requires Kicizo to ave sexual intercourse
wit er days and nigts are not accepted by te geisas . Tey Ieel nausea oI tis
and even reIuse to serve Sada Abe and Kicizo . y men can beave like tis , but
Sada Abe wo as a new Iemale image in te movie can`t ? In Iact , te beavior oI
te geisas in te movie is a betraying oI Iemale .
Second , wy Iemale still depends on men in te movie ? Tere are many
plots wic reIlect Iemale depends on men in te movie , suc as Iemale as to sing
Ior men , Iemale as to elp men to take a bat and so on . But tese are not wat I
want to say . at I want to say is tat toug Sada Abe as a new image oI Iemale ,
wo as great selI-awakening , se still cannot get rid oI te dependence on men .
Tere is a plot wic Sada Abe knows tat Kicizo still aving sexual intercourse
wit is wiIe wile e as already ad Sada Abe . Sada Abe is very angry at Iirst ,
and treatens to cut oII Kicizo`s penis iI e as no acceptable explanation . Tere
is no explanation Irom Kicizo but te words 'Can you leave it . Sada Abe goes
back to Kicizo`s arms as soon as Kicizo gave tese words . In patriarcal society ,
Iemale deviant beavior will never be accepted . en men Iind teir Iemale ave
deviant beavior , tey tend to abandon tem and searc Ior a new one . Sada Abe ,
as a new Iemale wo as great selI-awakening , grudges to abandon Kicizo wo
betrays er , but ave to depend on is penis .
Tird , wy Iemale still be an object in te movie ? In masculinity works ,
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including martial arts ( , polices movie , ero movie and any kinds else , remove
te pictures wic sow te great men power , audiences can always know te actor`s
inner world more or less . Tese movies will always spend some plot to build a
men`s inner world , so tat te audiences can perceive te actors` tougts and
Ieelings . Some oI tese are even known Ior sowing te contradictory inner world .
Suc as Hero Never Dies ({ . But The Realm of the Senses as a Ieminist
movie , removing te very small section oI monologue at te end , tere as no plot
wic describes te inner world oI Sada Abe . It seems tat Sada Abe is just an
inIlatable sex doll wic can ave sexual intercourse all te time . emale sould
not stop at te awakening oI te canges oI beaviors , but sould go to te canges
oI tinking , te canges oI inner world .
Te tree points above are te biggest sortages oI The Realm of the Senses as a
Ieminist work .

Conclusion
Toug tere are sortages , on te wole , Te Realm oI te Senses is still a
good Ieminist work as it let us see te awakening oI Iemale . Especially at tat time
wen Japan is a great militarism country , wic men are te national ero . Nagisa
Osima`s The Realm of the Senses is able to irony , and even castrates te patriarcal
society , in order to make audiences to reIlect te value and equity oI Iemale .
UnIortunately , it cannot be played in Japan at tat time , even now , Japanese
audiences still cannot see te Iull version .

References
Sinak: ttp://williamyauwing.mysinablog.com/index.pp?opViewArticle&articleId1274250
Baidubaike: ttp://baike.baidu.com/view/496567.tm
Civilization and its Discontents : p.101
Baidubaike : Te meaning oI seeing in eminism

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