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Tanizaki's "The Tattooer" follows a plot in which the reader is presented with two complex characters that are destined to interact with each other that in turn affect their ultimate fate. One of the two characters is the artist Seikichi, who once studied as a ukiyo-e painter, but fell out of higher society as he became a tattoo artist. Proficient in: Experience
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The other intriguing character is the maiko; an apprentice geisha, who is shy and constantly unsure of herself. Their characters change as the artist forces the maiko to become the epitome of his desire. Within Tanizaki's short story, the artist and maiko experience a role reversal during the painfully long tattooing process; the once dominating artist becomes the timid, gentle, and subjugated character of the newly empowered
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The reputation of Toyokuni also known as Kunisada is one of respectful skill of the ukiyo-e. Once the young artist, who formally studied at "Toyokuni and Kunisada” [tanizaki, 107] as a ukiyo-e painter status declined once he became a tattoo artist. During the time the story is set at, tattooing was not considered a form of art, but of barbarism. However, the ukiyo [floating cloud district] was also a place where his form of art was respected, through his canvasses who wanted to be more attractive to their audiences. Tanizaki does not formally address why Seikichi quit ukiyo-e painting, but his personal satisfaction of sadistic means brings the reason for turning to tattoo artistry into light. Seikichi drew satisfaction from tattooing his subjects, because he could inflict pain and watch them squirm.
The idea of having this power and control of the young men who came to him gave him pleasure. The ability to create works and interweave his sadistic pleasure into the process is what attracted Seikichi to go down a different path and find a new kind of art to pursue within the ukiyo. His cool and sadistic nature towards his clients came from the bitter response of being shunned to lower standards, but he was satisfied with his lifestyle because of what he could accomplish. His secret "pleasure lay in the agony men felt...torturing their swollen blood-red flesh" [Tanizaki, 108]. Seikichi's favourite moments came from the reactions of the young men cringing in agony.
Even if they show no pain, he took it upon himself to challenge their breaking point. Within his sadistic means, one overlooks his eventual weakness and true desire; to paint on the perfect canvas. The perfect canvas embodies all important aesthetics of character and physique. It isn't until years after searching for this idealized perfection, that he finds it within a young maiko. Seikichi's satisfaction and desire upon inflicting pain, changes as he is presented with the opportunity to paint on his ideal canvas. However, the maiko does not understand his desires and is frightened through his gestures. Since she does not consent willingly to his offer, his persistence and stubbornness results in drugging the young girl and subsequently tattooeing her.
His character begins to change even before Seikichi began to ink the girl with much concentration. The act of injecting the maiko to put her to sleep represents the domination element within his sadistic personality. His determination to achieve his goals no matter what the cost, reflects his controlling behavior. However, at the same time, the act of giving her an anesthetic illustrates a moment of tenderness towards the girl. He puts her under a deep sleep in which she cannot feel any pain while he pierces her skin. The pain he inflicted on his canvases as he shaded gave him the greatest satisfaction, but while he tattooed the young girls back, "Seikichi gave a heavy sigh and felt as if he had stabbed his own heart" [Tanizaki, 111]. He could not bear to put her under such pain and agony that he decided to put her into a state of unconsciousness. Along with his determination, he worked on through night and day, to make sure that the process was as short as possible, keeping the pain at a minimum.
Furthermore, after the process, the reader is presented with a sympathetic and worried man for the pain he had inflicted on the young girl. Seikichi offered a hand to the sore girl, but was blatantly turned down instead. After the process, Seikichi states that all of her "old fears are gone. All men will be your victims" [Tanizaki, 112]. This illustrates that Seikichi's character and soul had indeed been, poured into the tattoo, as well as the little girl's. Through the tattoo his once sadistic nature had transferred into the young maiko making her an empowered and dominating individual.
The young girl, prior to her transformation bore the essence of innocence, beauty, and grace. Her physique had shown maturity and refinement, even for such a young age of fifteen or sixteen. As most young apprentice geisha, she is still unsure of who she is meant to become. Her life path had led her to become a geisha of the gay quarters, but her personality had held her back. “Geisha are not prostitutes, but literally, ‘arts people" [Downer]. Within the Japanese culture, they are individuals who study multiple skills, in order to entertain those with her beauty, grace and wit. The young girl, did not embody the characteristics of a geisha, yet. It wouldn't be until her encounter with Seikichi that would allow her to emerge as the confident individual that she wishes to be. Alas, her fate had brought her to the front steps of Seikichi's home. The young maiko's transformation is evident through the events that occur at the artists studio.
The moment she had originally rose to leave yet being easily pulled upstairs into Seikichi's apartment, was a sign of her timidness and inability to stand up for herself. Once she is presented with the emaki, she finds a reflection of herself in a horridly vivid scroll. Most importantly, Tanizaki blatantly tells the reader what is going to happen next in the few simple words, "This painting ["The Victim] shows your future" [Tanizaki, 110]. Little did he know, that the emaki didn't depict just her future, but his as well. Seikichi had no clue that this moment, he had pulled out and presented the catalyst that will cause the girl to change. Her insecurity of not knowing who she should become and what path to follow frightens her. Her proper path within society was to train to become geisha, but her internal self tells her that she is something else.
She wishes to hold more power over men with a different kind of lure. "Yes, I admit that you are right about me - I am like that women So please, please take it away" [Tanizaki, 110]. The tremble in her words depict a weak and unconfident women, who doesn't know what to do with herself. She doesn't find the strength to address Seikichi and confidently leave. This resulted in her confinement. As she awoke with a completed tattoo on her back, a new personality awoke as well. She awoke under strange calmness and authority.
"She [spoke] as if in a dream but with an edge of authority in her voice” [Tanizaki, 112]. The maiko's demand to be left alone in her painful state, was the second instance where she shows her new sense of authority. This new sense of authority and confidence emerged because Seikichi's own personality and the essence of the tattoo had been absorbed not just by the girls skin, but enhanced her true personality as well. The tattoo itself is a complete reflection of the young maiko's whole character; her initial timidness, and eventual sense of empowerment over men.
Howard Hibbett, the translator of Tanizaki's work, doesn't entirely encapsulate what the spider represents. “Little by little the tattoo marks began to take on the form of a huge black widow" [Tanizaki, 111]. Within an English translation, it would make initial sense to embody a dominating spider as a black widow, however, it completely misses the important allusion and clear distinction to the jorōgumo. A Jorōgumo, derives from the myth of a sinister and manipulative spider. Once the spider turns four centuries old, it can shape shift into a beautiful women and then lure in her pray through biwa playing and kind nurture.
Throughout Tanizaki's short story, the word "victim" arises a couple times. The emaki which is shown to the maiko, is named "The Victim". It depicts a young woman who reflects the internal soul of the young maiko. Even after the maiko's transformation, she states "--and you are my first victim!' ...A song of triumph was ringing in her ears."[Tanizaki, 113]. The repeated phrase "victim" within The Tattooer refers to the Jorōgumo's tendencies of femme fatale. The imminent devastation of the Jorōgumo matches the same aspects of the transformed maiko, who characterizes feminine domination and power. When the spider had the girl in its clutches and appeared to come alive, illustrates that the side of the maiko that frightened her so much, had finally awoke within her.
The fates of the Seikichi and the young maiko was a meeting of destiny. The two needed each other to bring out what they most desired within themselves. With every prick and man Seikichi tattooed, was to prepare for the moment he would achieve his goal. His sole desire and purpose was to create the perfect masterpiece on the ideal canvas. By tattooing the Jorōgumo was a reflection of his "personal desires" [Yamada]. His actions had lead him to allow the maiko to understand her true nature through the presentation of the emaki, coaxing and then forceful subjugation. While the young girl was unsure of how to grow and adapt into her true path. She was able to do so by grasping the sense of power, domination, and independence through Seikichi's persistence. The characters' internal conflict, in turn, allowed the two to gain resolve within themselves.
Complex Characters in The Tattooer by Tanizaki. (2023, Jan 17). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/complex-characters-in-the-tattooer-by-tanizaki-essay
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