The Portrayal of the Stepmother-Stepdaughter Relationship in Ochikubo Monogatari

Abstract

A classic literary theme, the stepmother-stepdaughter relationship is frequently marked by conflict and emotional strain, and the paradigm of the “wicked stepmother” has been reinforced by cultural narratives throughout history. This relationship is essential to the plot of Ochikubo monogatari, a traditional Japanese story from the Heian period that reflects greater social dynamics including gender, authority, and legitimacy in addition to interpersonal strife. Although the narrative and aesthetic aspects of the story have been examined in earlier research, there hasn’t been much interdisciplinary study examining this relationship using both contemporary family psychology theories and traditional literary analysis. The purpose of this study is to analyze how the stepmother-stepdaughter is portrayed in Ochikubo monogatari, evaluating its sociocultural and symbolic relevance in relation to Heian-era family structures and contrasting it with newer understandings of stepfamily dynamics. A classic literary theme, the stepmother-stepdaughter relationship is frequently marked by conflict and emotional strain, and the paradigm of the “wicked stepmother” has been reinforced by cultural narratives throughout history. This relationship is essential to the plot of Ochikubo monogatari, a traditional Japanese story from the Heian period that reflects greater social dynamics including gender, authority, and legitimacy in addition to interpersonal strife. Although the narrative and aesthetic aspects of the story have been examined in earlier research, there hasn’t been much interdisciplinary study examining this relationship using both contemporary family psychology theories and traditional literary analysis. The purpose of this study is to analyze how the stepmother-stepdaughter is portrayed in Ochikubo monogatari, evaluating its sociocultural and symbolic relevance in relation to Heian-era family structures and contrasting it with newer understandings of stepfamily dynamics.