Gendered Ideals and Class Realities in Edo Japan: How Greater Learning for Women Shaped the Lives of Peasant and Samurai Women

Abstract

This study examines the divergent impacts of *Greater Learning for Women*, a Confucian-inspired text by Kaibara Ekiken, on the lives of samurai and peasant women in Edo Japan. While the text prescribed rigid moral and behavioral norms—such as obedience, restricted public presence, and stigmatization of divorce—its influence varied significantly across social classes. Samurai women, constrained by financial hardships and class expectations, largely adhered to these ideals, embodying subservience and domesticity. In contrast, peasant women, particularly those from wealthy families, exercised greater autonomy in marriage, divorce, and public life, often rejecting or adapting the text's teachings to their practical needs. Through analysis of historical records, travel diaries, and case studies, this study reveals how economic realities and class dynamics shaped women's responses to Confucian ideals, highlighting a tension between prescribed norms and lived experiences. The findings challenge monolithic portrayals of Edo-period gender roles, demonstrating that peasant women carved out spaces of independence within a patriarchal framework.