The Discourse of Geisha : In the Case of Memoirs of a Geisha

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the hidden perspectives and ideologies behind the discourse of geisha in the case of Memoirs of a Geisha. This study considers Memoirs of a Geisha as an event that consists of different cultural texts and their social and historical contexts, in which the discourse of geisha is embodied. It is a qualitative study using the theory of discourse analysis and in‐depth interviews and fieldwork. In discourse analysis, this study utilizes the analysis of authenticity, which is regarded as the core of discourse of geisha, aiming at explaining how and why the discourse of geisha is organized and narrated in different texts, exploring the standing point of different theoretical criticisms, and discovering the complicated relationships between cultural texts and their contexts. In addition, the media critique study of the movie is also employed in the analysis of discourse of geisha based on two points; firstly the controversy the movie caused reignited the discourse of geisha into focus; secondly, it dramatically brought and invited the topic of national identity of Japan and China in contemporary times, which extensively enriches the discourse of geisha and endows it the realistic significance.