One of the defining characteristics of the Japanese is their outstanding ability to assimilate foreign culture, refine it and then transform it into something completely unique. Perhaps the best example of this is Noh drama which became popular in the 14th century during Japan’s so-called medieval period. Noh, which can be translated literally as ability, represents the historical culmination of Japan’s literary tradition which began with the importation of Chinese poetry during the Heian period. In this sense, Noh drama is aptly named because it clearly symbolizes the pinnacle of the Japanese ability to assimilate culture. Within a single Noh drama, countless references to earlier works from the Japanese literary canon can be found. These references are in turn based on even older works from the Chinese literary tradition. Thus the intertextuality of Noh is demonstrated through its unique tapestry of literary references. Yet, it is not absolutely necessary to be familiar with the works referenced as Noh itself is an entirely unique cultural production. One might say that Noh is the fine juice extract squeezed from the thousand year old fruit of Japanese literature. Everyone can drink it but to some the taste will not be so sweet. In other words, an understanding of the many references found throughout Noh drama will lead to a much greater appreciation of the art itself. Thus, when analyzing a work of Noh it is essential to also look at the sources of the references found within it. In order to demonstrate this fact an analysis of the Noh drama Hanjo will be presented.
Hanjo, like many other Noh dramas, was written by the famous medieval playwright Zeami. It is a simple story involving a woman named Hanago who works as a prostitu...
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...dable to the commoner showcases his outstanding talents. Some may be eager to compare him to Shakespeare but such a comparison would only undermine the Noh form of drama which is uniquely Japanese and only possible of being fully appreciated through knowledge of the Japanese literary tradition. Simply reading the text of a play with no background knowledge will only provide a superficial understanding of Noh. To truly appreciate the complexity of Noh it is necessary to study its origins, which form a vast an inter-connected web of literary, historical and cultural traditions. By doing so it is possible to grasp the essence of Japanese literature in the span of a single Noh play such as Hanjo. It is precisely for this reason that Noh represents the pinnacle of pre-modern Japanese literature.
Works Cited
1. Tyler, Royall. Japanese No Dramas. 1992.
2. Handout #14
Written by Zeami, Hanjo, or “Lady Han,” is a play which “resembles an old love ballad with a haunting tune” (108). Tyler's version is dated 1543, almost a century after Zeami died, which also means the text represented here may be different from Zeami's original. There is also a great amount of honzetsu and honkadori, or borrowing phrases from other prose texts and poems (respectively), not only from the older classics such as Kokinshū or Genji Monogatari, but there are also Chinese references in this particular play as well. I think this play is quite different from most of the other nō plays we have read so far.
Nisei Daughter, by Monica Sone. Even with all the mental anguish and struggle, an elemental instinct bound us to this soil. Here we were born; here we wanted to live. We tasted its freedom and learned of its brave hopes for democracy.
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Obasan is a powerful novel written in first person under the eyes of Naomi Nakane, who is the protagonist of the novel. The book centers on the memories and experiences of Naomi. The setting is Western Canada and the novel frequently goes back and forth between 1972 and World War II. The year 1972 is the year which Naomi is currently in and World War II is the point of time where Naomi and many Japanese Canadians had to deal with onerous difficulties and injustices.
Throughout history artists have used art as a means to reflect the on goings of the society surrounding them. Many times, novels serve as primary sources in the future for students to reflect on past history. Students can successfully use novels as a source of understanding past events. Different sentiments and points of views within novels serve as the information one may use to reflect on these events. Natsume Soseki’s novel Kokoro successfully encapsulates much of what has been discussed in class, parallels with the events in Japan at the time the novel takes place, and serves as a social commentary to describe these events in Japan at the time of the Mejeii Restoration and beyond. Therefore, Kokoro successfully serves as a primary source students may use to enable them to understand institutions like conflicting views Whites by the Japanese, the role of women, and the population’s analysis of the Emperor.
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Hakutani, Yoshinobu, ed., pp. 113-117 Critical Essays on Richard Wright. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1982. Joyce, Joyce Ann. Richard Wright's Art of Tragedy.
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Savas, Minae. "Feminine Madness In The Japanese Noh Theatre." Electronic Thesis or Dissertation. Ohio State University, 2008. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. 11 Mar 2014.
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Saboteur, written by Ha Jin exposes a difficult period of China: the Cultural Revolution and its consequences on people’s life. Through the author’s skillful use of setting, symbolism and the main character’s dynamism, the reader is able to understand the theme of the story that is revenge.
In his preface of the Kokinshū poet Ki no Tsurayaki wrote that poetry conveyed the “true heart” of people. And because poetry declares the true heart of people, poetry in the minds of the poets of the past believed that it also moved the hearts of the gods. It can be seen that in the ancient past that poetry had a great importance to the people of the time or at least to the poets of the past. In this paper I will describe two of some of the most important works in Japanese poetry the anthologies of the Man’yōshū and the Kokinshū. Both equally important as said by some scholars of Japanese literature, and both works contributing greatly to the culture of those who live in the land of the rising sun.
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