WILL-BINDING SERVITUDE IN MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA AND THE GIRL FROM THE COAST

Abstract

Servitude is anathema to human nature, and even with the clear natural aversion of humans towards servitude, most would find themselves practising it under the tyranny of some higher power (Power, 2025). The study aims to compare the will-binding servitude of women in Memoirs of a Geisha and The Girl from the Coast. The literature includes the research design using textual analysis of the experiences of the female protagonists in each novel, following a close analysis of the word choice in the excerpts through the Repressive Tolerance Theory. The results show that gender and cultural practice are direct components leading to the constriction of female autonomy. Hence, the protagonists of the novel adapt to their harsh lives of servitude by practising repressive tolerance, mainly passive tolerance, whereby they do not question the societal expectations placed on them.