Homework Question on Film and Novel Versions of “Kwaidan”
- Discuss the film and the novel versions of Kwaidan and discuss similarities and differences.
- Assigned Reading: Lafcadio Hearn, “The Story of Mimi-nashi Hoichi” and “Yuki-Onna” in Kwaidan (1904) http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1210/1210-h/1210-h.htm Screening of “The Woman of the Snow” and “Hoichi the Earless” from Kwaidan (Kobayashi Masaki, 1964).
Homework Answer on Film and Novel Versions of “Kwaidan”
Kwaidan is a collection of anthropology ghost stories narrated in 1964 based on Japanese folk tales. The story of Yuki-onna is therefore a Japanese ghost story under Kwaidan adopted from 1904. ‘The Woman of the Snow’ also known as Yuki-onna is a story based in Musashi providence. On the other hand, the story of Miminashi Hoichi no Hanashi is also a Kwaidan folklore tale. These stories there incorporated aspects of a tale involving ghosts and spirits (Lafcadio 1).
‘The Woman of the Snow’: Yuki-onna
The story narrates about a woodcutter known as Minokichi who opts to take refuge in a hut owned by a fisherman. He is accompanied by his mentor known as Mosaku during a snow storm Minokichi however wakes up the following day and finds out his mentor has been killed by Yuki-onna. It is believed Yu-onna spared Minokachi due to his youth. She however warns him to avoid mentioning what he had experienced by threatening that she would also kill him.
Yuki-onna also tells him she is headed to Edo in order to search for her lost family. More so, her relatives had managed to secure her a position to work as a lady-in-waiting. Minokichi decides to take her to his home although he also stays with his mother. His mother however develops a liking for Yuki-onna. As a result, she requests Yuki-onna to stay and avoid leaving for Edo. Consequently, Minokichi falls in love with her. Yuki-onna agrees to marry Minokichi.