In the 2007 Japanese television drama Byakkotai, there is a poignant scene in which a mother named Shige repeatedly acts coldly toward her son, Mineji, not out of hatred, but out of love that she carefully conceals behind her duty to the clan. She raises Mineji to be prepared to die honorably for the Aizu Clan. For Dr. drg. Sri Widiati, MPH, it is precisely moments like these that contain a rich discourse on gender worthy of serious examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A study published in the February 2021 edition of the Journal of Japanese Language Education (JPBJ) examines five female characters in the drama Byakkotai through the lens of feminist critical discourse analysis. The study explores how the language used by the female characters reflects their authority, identity, and social roles within the patriarchal culture of Japan's Edo period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The five characters examined each possess distinctly different personalities, yet they are driven by a common goal: preserving the honor of the Aizu Clan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shige, the seemingly cold mother, conceals her tenderness behind harsh words. Shinko, the mother of Gisaburou, on the other hand, chooses to raise her son with warmth and affection, even singing a children's lullaby (komamori uta) so that he will carry happy memories with him to the battlefield. When Gisaburou eventually dies alongside the Byakkotai troops after performing harakiri, Shinko remains composed and encourages Mineji, who survived, by saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRather than Gisaburou and the others who have passed away, the struggle is now harder for those of you who are still alive. Live and work diligently for their sake.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sayako, a young woman skilled in swordsmanship, displays the most verbally assertive character. She trains three young samurai without hesitation and even says, \u201cIf your abilities are only at this level, I am already capable of teaching you.\u201d The statement is not an expression of arrogance, but rather an assertion that women, too, are capable of serving as protectors of the clan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The study employs the Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis (FCDA) approach developed by Michelle M. Lazar. Rather than simply examining words literally, this approach connects language with social and cultural contexts and power relations between men and women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The findings reveal something intriguing: although they live in a highly patriarchal society, the five women in Byakkotai do not automatically constitute a \u201cmuted group,\u201d as proposed by Kramarae's concept. Instead, they each find their own ways to express authority and make meaningful contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chieko, the wife of a clan adviser, chooses to become a quiet source of strength behind her husband, who opposes the decision to go to war. She believes that her husband's views are modern ideas that cannot yet be accepted in his time. Teru Hime, the clan leader's younger sister, transforms the palace into a refuge for civilians and even tears apart her valuable kimono to bandage the wounds of war victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on these five characters, the study concludes that the samurai ideology was not confined to the souls of men alone. Women carried its burden in different ways, but with no less weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The findings of this study convey a message that extends beyond the boundaries of a television drama. According to the study, gender transformation had already taken place long before modern feminism became widely recognized. In the Japanese culture depicted in Byakkotai, women may not have stood literally on the front lines of the battlefield, but their language demonstrates that they were fully present\u2014as educators, motivators, protectors, and warriors in a broader sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The use of language by the female characters in the drama reflects the social and cultural context in which they lived, while also demonstrating that women's authority can be articulated even within a system that structurally constrains them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shige may never have wielded a sword. Yet her words to Mineji, who survived the war\u2014\u201cYou have worked so hard. You tried your best, and you are alive; you have come home to your mother\u201d\u2014demonstrate that love and struggle can coexist in a single breath, even in the harshest of times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Authors: Achmad Zam Zam Aghasy, DDS, M.Kes.; Hazra Alifia Muharam<\/p>\n\n\n\n Photo: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n DOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0957926502013006751<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dalam drama televisi Jepang berjudul Byakkotai yang dirilis tahun 2007, ada adegan yang terasa menohok: seorang ibu bernama Shige berulang kali mendinginkan sikapnya kepada sang putra, Mineji, bukan karena benci, melainkan karena cinta yang ia sembunyikan rapat-rapat di balik kewajiban kepada klan. Ia mendidik Mineji untuk siap mati dengan terhormat demi Klan Aizu. Bagi Dr. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":615,"featured_media":20947,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[359,136],"tags":[298,306,307,291,293],"class_list":["post-20940","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artikel","category-berita-terbaru","tag-sdg-10-mengurangi-ketidaksetaraan","tag-sdg-16-perdamaian-dan-keadilan-institusi-yang-kuat","tag-sdg-17-kemitraan-untuk-mencapai-tujuan","tag-sdg-4-pendidikan-berkualitas","tag-sdg-5-kesetaraan-gender"],"gutentor_comment":0,"yoast_head":"\nLanguage as a Reflection of Women's Power<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Gender Transformation Behind a Historical Drama<\/h2>\n\n\n\n