Why do lovers in Chikamatsu’s domestic dramas often die in suicide pacts?

In the domestic dramas (sewamono) of Chikamatsu Monzaemon, lovers often choose suicide pacts because they find themselves trapped by the rigid social structures of their time. These plays, which were frequently based on actual events, depict characters—such as merchants and prostitutes—who are caught in an irreconcilable conflict between personal desire and societal duty.12

Because the inflexible nature of their society makes their union impossible, the lovers view death as the only way to be united, seeking to be joined together in the afterlife. These tragic decisions were a reflection of the intense pressures of the brothel system and the social constraints prevalent in the Osaka of Chikamatsu’s day. The popularity of these depictions was so significant that such acts were eventually outlawed, and survivors of failed suicide pacts were charged with murder.12