Analysis of the portrayal of women in “Snow Country” through the lens of Mono-no-Aware: Taking the Youko as an Example

Abstract

Mono-no-Aware is central to traditional Japanese culture and aesthetic consciousness, as well as the essence of Japanese literature. All aspects of Kawabata Yasunari’s masterpiece “Snow Country” are infused with the concept of Mono-no-Aware. The trend is most visible in the depiction of the female figure, Youko. In this study, we analyze the aesthetic consciousness of Mono-no-Aware in the portrayal of characters from both the front and the side, knowing they mainly appear in the aspects of “view of life” and “the interplay of sorrow and beauty”.

Keywords

• mono-no-aware
• aesthetic consciousness
• “snow country”
• female portrayal