Serpent and Womanhood, Metaphors of the Gods' Real Body

Despite the fact that Japanese thinking does not dichotomize the spiritual & material, or the transcendent & immanent, the concept of metaphorization does exist in certain mythic-ritual complexes. Focused on is the specific power of the gods to metamorphose into the body of a serpent -- inti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Homme 1991-01, Vol.31, p.66-95
Main Author: Mauclaire, Simone
Format: Article
Language:fre
Subjects:
Deities
Femininity
Japan
Metaphors
Religious Beliefs
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Despite the fact that Japanese thinking does not dichotomize the spiritual & material, or the transcendent & immanent, the concept of metaphorization does exist in certain mythic-ritual complexes. Focused on is the specific power of the gods to metamorphose into the body of a serpent -- intimately linked with the image of femininity. An attempt is made to explain how these images have been synthesized to express the unity of contrasts. It is argued that this metaphor, traced back to the eighth century, actuates today through ritual -- the communion of mankind with nature. Utilizing ancient documentation as well as field research, the study suggests that the venomous serpent & the regenerating woman symbolize death as a condition of life; thus, the paradox embodied in the metaphor represents for the Japanese the impossibility of conquering nature, & the compatibility of life & death. 2 Tables, 47 References. I. Shagrir
ISSN:0439-4216