Male and female spaces in Homer and in Heike monogatari
By Naoko Yamagata
Abstract: The basic division of male and female spaces appears to exist in both Homer and Heike monogatari. In both the breach of the gendered division of spaces is used to underline crises, and, to this extent, the ‘norm’ which contracts outside/public as male and inside/private as female space seems valid, against which spatial signs can be read. In both Homer and Heike the deviation from the ‘normal’ division of male and female space is a central narrative device.
Published in Japan Studies in Classical Antiquity, vol.1, pp. 27–41, (2014).