The Woman-Killer and the Hell of Oil (女殺油地獄, Onnagoroshi abura no jigoku) is a Bunraku play by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, also performed in kabuki.
[1] While originally written for bunraku it was successfully staged in kabuki in a revival in 1909 by Jitsukawa Enjaku II.
[2] It is the only sewamono (contemporary setting plays in Japanese traditional theatre) to feature a murderer as the 'hero' role.
The main character is Yohei, a 23 year old oil merchant, who frequently runs up debts and spends a lot of time in the licensed quarter.
Waxy of Aizu is a rich customer who has fallen in love with Kogiku, a courtesan of the Flower House, in the Sonezaki licensed quarter.
Okichi agrees so that they can wait for her husband, an oil merchant named Teshimaya Shichizaemon, to catch up with them.
Okichi finds out that Yohei is waiting to catch Kogiku, who rejected his offer to go on the pilgrimage, giving the reason that Nozaki was in an unlucky direction so he refused to go.
Okichi then chastises Yohei for his behavior, using the pilgrimage as an excuse, and spending so much time in the licensed quarter.
Just then Okichi has turned back since the crowd was so large, and was deciding to wait at the tea house again for her husband.
Act Two takes place at the Kawachi-ya, an oil shop in Osaka tree days before the Boys' Festival.
Pilgrims who have just returned from a mountain pilgrimage talk to Tokubei and Osawa, Yohei's stepfather and mother.
Yohei then arrives and degrades the priest, stating that the sickness Okachi has is mortal and that the best doctor could not hope to cure it.
As the priest is about to start the prayer, Okachi speaks in a trance, stating that the way to cure her is to call off the wedding engagement and that Yohei's debts and pain bring her agony.
She asks that they redeem the woman Yohei loves (Kogiku) and let her be his bride and give him his own household.
Osawa grabs a pole in order to drive Yohei from the house, but he quickly tears it away from her and uses it to attack her.
Tokubei steps in and attacks Yohei in return, his eyes glaring with rage while holding back tears.
Tokubei then reveals that he had no intention to find a husband for Okachi and that it was merely a ruse in order to try and motivate Yohei.
Tokubei, seeing him leave, breaks down in tears, commenting that as the years pass Yohei looks more and more like that of the late master.
Act Three takes place on the evening of the Boys' Festival at the Teshima-ya, the oil shop owned by Shichizae-mon, the husband of Okichi.
He hands her his money belt containing 580 me of new silver and asks her to lock it up in the cupboard for him, stating that he will be home soon.
Okichi, seeing this, mentions that he should know better than to stand while drinking sake otherwise he will send someone to their grave, and he quickly sits down as a result.
However, Tokubei's seal was on the debt note; Kohei has decided that if he does not get his kamme in new silver by tonight, he will denounce him to the authorities.
Okichi asks him to stay until her husband returns, but Tokubei does not want to take up his time.
Another voice is heard and Tokubei attempts to hide, but Osawa, who is the newly arrived visitor, sees him.
She then begs for forgiveness from Tokubei for she stole the money from their own accounts in order to give to Yohei.
He tells Okichi his situation, saying that he was determined to kill himself should he bring ruin to his family by not being able to repay the debt.
In the other room, Okichi says that he should enjoy the holiday and that his parents will likely take him back provided they can afford him, and asks him for forgiveness for refusing to loan him money.
Covered in oil and blood, he gets the key and unlocks the cupboard, barely able to stand, thunder clapping overhead.
Yohei speaks his last monologue, stating that previously he had never stolen so much as a copper, though he was often late in paying his debts.
He recounts what drove him to madness, due to not wanting to ruin his father with undue debt, and confesses to the crime.