• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.27
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• pp.291-317
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• 2012

Until now, the 'Ie' system, the distinct Japanese Family system, was dominantly recognized as the vestige of former feudal system. But as the research for gender-especially the family history-gets active, various aspects showing that 'Ie' is the modern product developed through thoroughly intended plans of Meiji government after latter-day. According to Ueno Chizuko, 'Ie' system is not at all a traditional feudal system, but it rather is the family revised by modernization, in other word, it is the Japanese version of modern family. This words began with it being the study of goodwill, and recognizing that 'Ie' is the creation of modernization, and as well as the need to listen to the new woman's inner voice under the Japanese patriarchal system. The most appealing characteristic of modern Japanese patriarchal system is that the it needs only the family members who are dedicated to the 'Nation'. With this, women were expected to submit to the authority and their roles, which are, as a wife and mother who obeys by supporting, preserving, and maintaining the patriarchal system. But as the new women themselves expressed their independence, these roles are hard to be expected. It was no other than new women's magazine Seito which arose against the Japanese patriarchal system. In this statement, careful observation was done on the novel based on tiny internal conflicts or the aspects of anguish, that could not have been illustrated enough after judging the significant issues of early modern liberalism of women based on new women's editorials, discussions, that were illustrated most directly and compressively. Through this, it was pointed out that Seito magazine is not consisted logically, and that reason for that is the female authors' different desires were tangled and it reflects the complicated situation of that period whether they were intended or not. Overall, unlike the literatures (men-centered) of same era, the genre of literature or the novel did not put them on prerogative place, and confirmation could be made once again that the women's writing aspects are related closely with gender recognition more than anything.