Semiotics of Otherness in Japanese Mythology
This article examines the tropes of "otherness" embedded in Japanese myths and legends in which the protagonist has a physical or intellectual disability to uncover the sociohistorical attitudes toward such people in Japan. Using the theory of semiotics, I will explicate the narrative sign...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Ohio State University Libraries
2017-03-01
|
| Series: | Disability Studies Quarterly |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dsq-sds.org/article/view/5380 |
| Summary: | This article examines the tropes of "otherness" embedded in Japanese myths and legends in which the protagonist has a physical or intellectual disability to uncover the sociohistorical attitudes toward such people in Japan. Using the theory of semiotics, I will explicate the narrative signifiers of "the Other" represented in Japanese mythology; examine the binary perceptions of disability in ancient myths, medieval literature, and latter-day folklore in Japan; and demonstrate how perceptions have changed historically. I argue that some of these antique perceptions of the Other that have survived in contemporary Japanese consciousness may be hampering our effort to understand human variation. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1041-5718 2159-8371 |