Kurotokage (Black Lizard, 1895) was Hirotsu Ryuro’s second novel. Following the lead of his first serious novel, Hemeden (Cross-Eyed Den, 1895), the story follows the life of Otsuga, a woman with tragically repulsive black blotches on her face. She marries a man named Yotaro, becoming his seventh successive wife, and has a child with him. Yotaro’s lustful father makes ad vances on Otsuga, which had driven away Yotaro’s previous wives. Otsuga lashes back, poisoning him in order to protect her child. Otsuga then commits suicide, throwing herself into a well.
See also WOMEN IN LITERATURE.
Historical dictionary of modern Japanese literature and theater. J. Scott Miller. 2009.