Villon's Wife by Osamu Dazai
"Villon's Wife" is a poignant short story by Osamu Dazai, set against the backdrop of Japan's challenging postwar era. The narrative unfolds through the perspective of Mrs. Otani, the wife of a once-renowned writer, who is now trapped in a cycle of alcoholism and irresponsibility. The story begins on a cold winter night when her husband returns home inebriated, leading to a confrontation with two individuals seeking repayment of a significant debt he has accrued at their restaurant. In a moment of bleak humor, Mrs. Otani laughs off the couple's plight, revealing her own dire circumstances as she cannot afford medical care for her sick child.
As the plot progresses, Mrs. Otani takes a proactive role by volunteering to work at the restaurant as a means to resolve her husband's debts. Initially, this engagement brings her a sense of purpose; however, her optimism is short-lived as she confronts the harsh realities of her environment. Her experiences with various customers reveal the darker aspects of humanity, culminating in a traumatic encounter that deepens her disillusionment. Ultimately, she learns that survival in a world filled with betrayal and hardship often requires a grim acceptance of one's circumstances. "Villon's Wife" offers a stark exploration of female resilience in the face of despair, making it a compelling read for those interested in social realism and the complexities of human relationships in challenging times.
On this Page
Villon's Wife by Osamu Dazai
First published: "Viyon no tsuma," 1947 (English translation, 1956)
Type of plot: Social realism
Time of work: 1946
Locale: Tokyo
Principal Characters:
Mrs. Otani , the narrator and wife of the celebrated poetMr. Otani , the celebrated poetThe restaurant owner The owner's wife
The Story
"Villon's Wife," set in the dark years of the early postwar era, is narrated by the wife of a writer who has been much celebrated but who has given himself over to drunkenness and debauchery. The story opens late on a winter night as the woman, asleep with her retarded son, hears her husband come home, drunk as usual. With uncharacteristic tenderness the husband asks if the child still has a fever. At this point a man and woman arrive at the front door and call for the writer, Mr. Otani. An argument ensues and the wife tries to intervene, but Otani pulls a knife and rushes out of the house, "flapping the sleeves of his coat like a huge crow," and disappears into the darkness.
The wife invites the two visitors into the shabby house and learns of the difficulty between these people and her husband. The couple explain that they run a small restaurant and drinking place where Otani has been a regular customer for several years, accompanied by a succession of women friends. He has run up a huge debt, but what is worse, on this particular evening, he has stolen five thousand yen that the owner needs in order to pay his wholesalers before the end of the year. Not wanting to make a scene in public, the couple have followed Otani home, hoping that they can persuade him quietly to return the money. Instead, he threatens them with a knife and runs away.
On hearing this story, the wife's only response is to burst out laughing—they are so poor she cannot even afford to take her sick child to a doctor, much less pay back the five thousand yen her husband stole or pay off the debts he has accumulated. The wife, however, reassures the couple that everything will be settled the following day and asks them not to file charges against her husband quite yet.
The next morning, the woman takes her child and wanders aimlessly for a time, then goes to the restaurant where her husband stole the money. Not knowing what else to do, she once again reassures the owner and his wife that someone will come soon with the money, and says that to show her good faith, she will stay at the restaurant as a sort of hostage until the debt is paid. The wife keeps herself busy waiting on customers. She is quite popular with the customers, who are in a festive mood since it is Christmas Eve. That evening, a man and woman came in dressed and masked for a masquerade party. Although realizing that it is her husband, the wife treats him as she would any other customer. His friend speaks briefly with the owner and pays back the five thousand yen that was stolen.
When the owner thanks Mrs. Otani for helping to get his money back, she offers to stay on and continue working until her husband's drinking debt is also paid. At first, she finds her life wonderfully transformed now that she has found a way to deal actively with her problems rather than simply sit at home and worry. The enthusiasm, however, does not last long, and after working for twenty days, she concludes that all men are criminals and that as poorly as her husband treats her, he is not the worst of the scoundrels she has come to know. One evening a customer follows her home, and when she shows some sympathy for him, he rapes her.
The next morning, she goes to work and finds her husband already at the restaurant and already drinking heavily. He shows her a review in the newspaper where he is referred to as a monster. He asks if she thinks he is a monster and explains that he stole the five thousand yen in the first place to buy New Year's presents for her and the child so that they could have "the first happy New Year in a long time." The wife's only response to this excuse is that there is nothing wrong with being a monster as long as one somehow manages to survive.