Sanshiro a novel written by Natsume Soseki a Japanese writer has the people of Meiji Japan view the role and value of women’s education differently from Wollstonecraft,” vindication of the rights of the women.”. The novel Sanshiro, is based on the University of Tokyo where most events in the novel takes place. The main character Sanshiro Ogawa a young man from Kyushu Japan has just joined the university from a local high school from his village.
The novel may be based in an academic institution but the people of Meiji Japan have a less value of women’s education. Sanshiro the main character in this novel is a learned man. Having come all the way and finally joining the University of Tokyo. His mother particularly takes a keen interest in the education of his son. This is especially seen when she introduces Sanshiro to a physics researcher Nonomiya through a family connection.
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The value and role of the women’s education is very minimal to the people of Meiji in Japan. Most of the professors in the book are seen to be male as well as their acquaintances. Example is Professor Hirota, who is a graduate of the University of Tokyo who keeps close ties to learned friends such as Nonomiya and the elder brother of the Sotami family who is his former student. The experimental physicists Nonomiya is also male and a leader in the college of science stuff. The other character is Yojiro Sasaki also male and a special student at the University of Tokyo.
From the above analysis of figures it is clear that the majority of people at the University of Tokyo are male. They seem focused and determined to advance their academics. This is the exclusion of Professor Hirota. However, Sanshiro the main character is seen to have an acute thirst for academic knowledge. Fresh from high school he goes to the University. He also follows his mother advice to seek out Nonomiya and listen to his guidance. He finds his way around the city of Tokyo just to succeed academically.
Female characters on the novel however such as Mineko Satomi, who is also a student at the University does not pay a keen attention to her education. She is dreamy and is often seen with a distant gaze toward the sky. Mineko is often courted with male students at the university such as Nonomiya. Sanshiro also takes a romantic interest in her but their interests go onto different paths later.
Female characters in the book are clearly seen to have a little role and less value of education. Mineko is married off by her brother and is not given a chance to advance on her education Sanshiro’s mother also plays a role in diminishing the value of women’s education in Meiji society. This is seen when she tries to marry off a girl from close family friends to her son Sanshiro. The mother, however, should have played a role in making sure that the girl was well educated or is attending school instead of trying to marry her off to her son.
The role and value of women’s education in the novel Sanshiro are therefore different from those of Wollstonecraft in her book, “A vindication of the rights of woman.” As well as those of Anger and Marx, “Communists Manifesto.” Feminist Mary Wollstonecraft bring along the issue of equality of sexes between male and female. She is extremely annoyed by Charles Marrice claims that a woman should only receive domestic education.
Unlike in Sanshiro where women such as Mineko are married off, Wollstonecraft believes that women should be educated. This way they can be companions to their husbands and not just wives. Sanshiro’s mother on the other hand debates on Sanshiro’s observation to marry an educated girl. She argues that all he needs is a good wife and not necessarily a learned woman. When Mineko is married off, her brother sees on value in educating her. This, therefore, decreases the value and role of the women’s education in the novel. Mary Wollstonecraft, on this other hand, thinks that women should be educated so that they can bring back to the society.
Wollstonecraft is very fervent with the value of women’s education. Unlike in Sanshiro where women are seen as too sensitive and too fragile to think clearly, Wollstonecraft argues that women have a right to rational education. That they can do great for the community and the husbands as learned wives. She explains that education makes women more open minded and see beyond cooking and cleaning for their husbands. She attacks famous philosophers such as James and John Gregory, who in their books indicate that women do need a rational education. Such writers indicate as in the novel Sanshiro that women such as Mineko should have the education mainly for the mere men’s pleasure.
Engels and Marx in the Communist manifesto on the other hand describe the nature of society and politics is mainly affected from the struggles that come with class. In this manifesto they argue that educated husbands devalue the less educated and those with less fortune. The role and value of women’s education in the manifesto turns out to also be different from that of women from Meiji Japan in the novel Sanshiro. Engels and Marx think that educating a woman is the first step towards fighting the class struggles in most societies.
References
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