In this lecture, Dr. Schmidt-Hori (Dartmouth College) will offer an innovative re-reading of the “Death of Lord Kiso” chapter of the medieval Japanese military epic, Heike monogatari (The Tales of the Heike, 14th-15th centuries). Grounded upon her research on milk kinship and male-male love in premodern Japan, Schmidt-Hori argues that this chapter depicts general Kiso Yoshinaka and his retainer Imai Kanehira not only as lord and vassal and milk brothers but also as lovers. This reading also explicates the mysterious, brief appearance of the gorgeous female warrior, Tomoe, who is another retainer of Yoshinaka. Through Yoshinaka’s rejection of Tomoe as his partner in death, the “Death of Lord Kiso” appears to be signaling to the audience that the two men’s status must be read as one of lovers.

Questions can be directed to Dr. Beth M. Carter at beth.carter@case.edu