Geisha also came to be seen as , not just for their contrasting and subdued appearance in the face of flashier courtesans, but for their reputation as unwaveringly loyal; a popular name for the pleasure quarters, the (lit., "the flower and willow world"), described courtesans - the beautiful but fleeting flowers - and geisha - the resilient willow, often bending in fierce weather but never snapping - as contrasting elements, with geisha embodying loyalty to their patrons. This concept came to embody geisha so entirely that rival political factions often patronised entirely different geisha quarters, with the geisha of each staying loyal to their customers. Geisha, alongside rogue warriors, also became the common subject of many kabuki plays revolving around duty versus one's own feelings.