Women on and behind the Scenes in Late Meiji Japanese Theatre: Hasegawa Shigure and Okada Yachiyo’s Responses to Ibsen’s A Doll’s House

This presentation examines the theatrical context of late Meiji Japan, focusing on the responses to Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, with particular attention to two plays written by women: Tsuge no Kushi (The Boxwood Comb, 1912) by Okada Yachiyo (1883–1962) and Chōji Midare (Wavering Traces, 1913) by Hasegawa Shigure (1879–1941). Both works are among the very few plays by women playwrights of that era to have been translated into English and have been interpreted by critics as responses to Ibsen’s play. However, they offer distinct approaches that reflect female perspectives and critique patriarchal dynamics in Japanese society of the time. Tsuge no Kushi and Chōji Midare do not adapt A Doll’s House but instead present distinctly Japanese narratives that challenge the male-dominated theatrical and literary establishment. The two plays explore the wife’s position as a possession of patriarchal authority and the broader societal challenges faced by women striving for emancipation. The authors address these themes from their unique positions as women dramatists, offering rare and innovative perspectives that challenge the narratives presented by Henrik Ibsen as well as those later adapted by Shimamura Hōgetsu and Mori Ōgai for Japanese audiences. Notably, Okada Yachiyo had multiple connections with Mori Ōgai and also contributed to the kabuki newspaper managed by her brother, Miki Takeji. Additionally, both Okada and Hasegawa were present at the premiere of Shimamura Hōgetsu’s adaptation of A Doll’s House. Okada Yachiyo’s Tsuge no Kushi has been performed in various theatrical genres, including a kabuki adaptation, while Hasegawa Shigure’s Chōji Midare was conceived exclusively for kabuki. This presentation also reflects on the suitability of kabuki as a medium for addressing modern themes. It examines the limitations and potentials of kabuki as a platform for representing emancipatory and socially critical narratives at a time when the Japanese theatrical scene was predominantly male-dominated. Through a comparative analysis of these two plays and their relationship with A Doll’s House, as interpreted by Ōgai and Shimamura, this presentation highlights the pioneering role of the first Japanese women playwrights in redefining theatrical conventions and creating new narrative spaces centered on women’s experiences and voices.