Villon’s Wife (ヴィヨンの妻, Viyon no Tsuma) by Osamu Dazai is a short novel published in 1947, told through the perspective of an unnamed woman who is the wife of a troubled poet named Villon.

The Wife’s Story

The wife reflects about her life with Villon at the start of the novel. She characterizes him as a guy devoid of morality, ambition, and the capacity to care for others, including herself. Villon is an alcoholic who is mostly intoxicated and unconcerned with his wife’s needs or the condition of their home.

Although she harbors contempt for the suffering he gives her, the wife has a strong feeling of devotion and love for him despite his shortcomings.

The wife’s absence of a name emphasizes how unidentified she is outside of her marriage. Her spouse has taken over every aspect of her life, and she feels stuck in a position that defines her who she is.

She has given up a lot of her own goals and objectives to care for him, and she has lived for him. She thus has a mixture of grief and resentment, but she does not want to leave him and cannot bring herself to do so.

Villon has consistently acted recklessly and self-centeredly. He drinks away their funds, spends money the wife makes from odd jobs, and frequently declines to assist her with any domestic duties.

She still takes care of him, nevertheless, in spite of his carelessness. She lives a life of giving without expecting anything in return. Though she can’t quite let go of the notion that, deep down, he could change, she occasionally fantasizes about what it would be like to be free from him.

A Short Period of Absence

At one point, Villon leaves his wife behind and travels to a far-off village. She feels both relieved and alone throughout this period. Her husband’s absence allows her to take stock of her life and starts to doubt her own decisions.

She talks about the prospect of leaving him, but she is unsure. Even though she is aware that remaining with him will only cause her grief, she finds it impossible to envisage her life without him.

The wife’s inner monologue shows how deeply confused and self-conscious she is. She wonders if she has a purpose in life and asks who she is outside of being Villon’s wife. According to her, she has always lived for other people rather than for herself.

She has a brief sensation of independence during her time apart from Villon, but it also serves as a stinging reminder of how lost and dissatisfied she feels.

Flashbacks to Her Past

The wife considers her background and how she came to be with Villon as the narrative progresses. She remembers the hopeful and idealistic beginnings of their marriage and how they met. She believed that she could alter Villon and start a life with him at that moment since she loved him.

But as time went on, his destructive behaviors only became worse, and the optimism she had gradually dwindled.

The wife also remembers the early days of their marriage, when Villon showed her compassion and affection. The harsh reality of their present lives is contrasted with these recollections.

She questions whether she was foolish to realize his potential and whether she ought to have seen his actual character sooner. She still loves him in spite of the hurt and disappointment she experiences, and the idea of parting ways with him is nearly intolerable.

Realization of Her Own Identity

Over time, the wife begins to face the truth about her circumstances. She acknowledges that her friendship with Villon has completely shaped her life. She has prioritized taking care of him over her own goals and aspirations. Although this understanding hurts, it also represents a sea change in her personality.

She starts thinking about the prospect of establishing her own identity apart from her husband for the first time. If she were allowed to follow her own bliss, she imagines what life could be like.

The wife is terrified and uncertain, though, even as she starts to think about her own future. She questions if she can ever be self-sufficient and whether she will ever be able to shake off Villon’s influence.

Her love for him and the life she has built for herself both make her feel imprisoned. Even though she is aware that being with him will only cause her more sorrow and suffering, her feeling of duty and devotion to him has become so strong that it is difficult for her to imagine her life without him.

Villon’s Return

Villon eventually comes back from his vacation. He has not really changed as a result of his absence; he is the same reckless, conceited individual that he has always been. Despite her inner turmoil, the wife accepts his return without hesitation and continues to provide for him in the same manner as before.

She appears resigned to the fact that her life would continue in the same cycle of love and disappointment, despite her confused emotions.

Villon’s homecoming forces the wife to face the realities of their shared existence. Her small moments of introspection during his absence appear to take a backseat as she is once again engrossed in her position as his caregiver.

She is becoming more conscious of her own needs and wants, but she still finds it difficult to completely let go of her attachment to him.

A Life of Sacrifice

There is uncertainty at the end of the book. There is no obvious conclusion to the wife’s self-reflection quest. She doesn’t drastically alter her life by making any big choices or acting bravely.

Instead, despite knowing that it never truly offers her satisfaction, she appears to revert to the role she has always played—constantly sacrificing herself for her spouse.

A moving examination of a woman’s emotional and psychological challenges as she negotiates the intricacies of love, self-identity, and sacrifice can be found in Villon’s Wife. A heartbreaking reflection on the nature of love and the manner in which individuals lose themselves in relationships is provided by the wife’s commitment to her husband in spite of his shortcomings and maltreatment.

Dazai explores themes of loneliness, resignation, and the challenge of escaping a life that is defined by others via the wife’s observations. In the end, the work captures the agonizing and sometimes pointless nature of human commitment, leaving readers with a sense of unsolved tension.