Four Major Plays of ChikamatsuColumbia University Press, 1998 - 220 pages Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1725) wrote some 130 plays, chiefly for the puppet theater, many of which are still performed today by puppet operators and Kabuki actors. Chikamatsu is thought to have written the first major tragedies about the common man. This edition of four of his most important plays includes three popular domestic dramas and one history play.Chikamatsu's domestic dramas are accurate reflections of Japanese society at the time: his characters are samurai, farmers, merchants, and prostitutes who speak colloquially, and who people the shops, streets, teahouses, and brothels that consituted their daily environment. The heroes and heroines of theses plays gain their tragic stature from their conflict with society. "The Love Suicides at Sonezaki" and "The Love Suicides at Amijima" became so popular that they initiated a vouge for love suicides, both in life and onstage.Donald Keene's translation of the original text is presented here with an introduction and a new preface to aid readers in their comprehension and enjoyment of the plays. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The Love Suicides at Sonezaki Sonezaki Shinju | 35 |
The Battles of Coxinga Kokusenya Kassen | 53 |
The Uprooted Pine Nebiki no Kadomatsu | 128 |
The Love Suicides at Amijima Shinju Ten no Amijima | 166 |
A Note on Prostitution in Chikamatsus Plays | 205 |
Contemporary Puppet Performance of Chikamatsus Plays | 208 |
Bibliography | 212 |
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Common terms and phrases
Akoya Amida Azuma Bairoku Battles of Coxinga blossoms boat Bridge castle chanter characters Chikamatsu Chikamatsu Monzaemon Chikamatsu's plays China Chinese clam courtesan cries death DEMBEI domestic plays emperor empress enemy escape eyes face father gate giri Go Sankei GOZAEMON hands head hear heart hero Hikosuke history plays husband Ikkan Japan Japanese JIBUEMON Jihei JŌKAN jōruri Kabuki Kagekiyo Kanki kill kimono king of Tartary KINSHŌJO Koharu KOMUTSU Kuheiji Kwannon Kyoto lady leave look Love Suicides lovers Magoemon merchant michiyuki Ming moon mother mountain NARRATOR never night ninjō Ohatsu Okiku Osaka Osan pine prince Princess Sendan prostitute puppet theater Quarter ransom Ri Tōten RYŪKAKUN saké samurai Scene Shrine sleeve soldiers Suicides at Amijima Suicides at Sonezaki sure sword Tahei Tartary tears tell Temma thousand tiger Tokubei Uprooted Pine voice Watōnai weeps wife woman words Yamazaki Yohei Yojibei Yosaku