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Paper Abstract: Five classes of plays, masks, religious foundation, Kabuki. Paper Introduction: THE N? DRAMA The N? drama (or it is sometimes spelled the N?h drama), had its original roots in religious ceremony. This is important in understanding the N? drama for perhaps no national theater is rooted in its nation's religion, as is the N? drama. In its very beginnings the N? drama developed "from temple festivities and dances until in the 14th century the Kanami family of actors created the form still known today." The entire approach and attitude of N? drama can be seen by the stage, which is always very simple and virtually bare, with a single fir tree painted on the back. That the stage has remained unchanging in this simple, basic form for six centuries, gives a key to N? drama itself, for the drama and the method in which it Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. One of the advantages of course of this ramp, is that this allowseven those spectators in the very back row to get at least a brief, butcloser look at the performers' masks and clothes, as these are not only ofgreat beauty but very expressive of the character the performer is playing. [12]Frei, 2 9. drama has evolved fromreligious ceremony and extreme emotionality and passion are out of place ata religious ceremony. DRAMA The N? In speaking of the influence of Japanese theatrical tradition uponits cinema, film historian David Shipman has observed that "Acharacteristic of the pre-war Japanese cinema is its neutrality. This is why the chorushas always remained as a group of eight to twelve persons seated in tworows at the side of the stage. London: Guinness Superlatives, 1982.Durant, Will. plays are generally performed in atrilogy. New York: Random House, 1975.----------------------- [1]Beatrice Frei, and Honor Head, eds., The Guinness Book of Answers(Middlesex, Great Britain: Guinness Books, 1989), 212. This is important in understandingthe N? have kept it from any major alterations inthe last 3 years (although it has been noted that "Performancestraditionally lasted all day but have been shortened since 1945),"[13] it'sthis very unchanging quality itself because of its religious foundationsthat has helped the N? Class 2: Shura-Mono, plays about Ashura or marshall figures. However, these masks are of fargreater intricacy and expressiveness than the traditional masks used inGreek drama, and the finest of these masks are highly prized art objectsamong the world's collectors. [8]Peter Lamarque, "Expression and the Mask: The Dissolution ofPersonality in Noh," Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 47(2) (Spring1989), 158. [3]Ibid., 12 . LaFleur, The Karma of Words, Buddhism and the LiteraryArts in Medieval Japan (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1986). Class 5: Kiri-No-Mono, plays about demons.[3]The number 5 has been chosen for its mystical associations as well as willbe explained in a later section. Theater," Monumenta Nipponica 39(4) (Winter 1984): 445.----------------------- 13 drama (or it is sometimes spelled the N?h drama), had itsoriginal roots in religious ceremony. That the stage has remained unchanging in thissimple, basic form for six centuries, gives a key to N? (or lyrical) form of Japanese play."[7] So we see that the complaints of many Westerners that they find N?drama dull and uninteresting next to Western plays, is because they areapproaching it from the wrong viewpoint as though it were a new Broadwaymusical or play by Neil Simon. One of the major points of N? The Karma of Words, Buddhism and the Literary Arts in Medieval Japan. drama, the Eastern audience understands the patience or lack ofhurry involved is related to the patience of the aspiring Buddhistindividual who hopes to patiently work his way up through the six realms tothe highest level. The Hanamichi is aramp running the full length of the auditorium from the very back to thestage. Like Greek drama, N? The plays themselves are very similar to one another in structure andare written in a blank verse of 12 syllables. drama havechanged not at all over the years was to help insure that such dangerousemotionalism would not creep into the performances. The five classes of play and in order of a typical day'spresentation are: Class 1: Waki-No-Mono or Kami-No, plays about gods. Martin's Press, 1982.Simon, John. Class 3: Kazura-Mono, plays about women. theater hasbeen greatly influenced by Zen Buddhism, and as it has remained soremarkably unchanged through the years, this Buddhist influence hasremained as strong as ever. It alsoushered in a new chapter in N? So what comes too late in aGreek or Elizabethan tragedy to do the character any good in their ownlifetime, comes early enough in the N? drama for the character either toregenerate themselves or help influence others to a better life while thereis still time. [2]William R. Just as the RomanCatholic church has its lay people, these aristocrats who performed in theplay were like lay persons assisting the priest in the Roman Catholic mass. [1 ]John Simon, Uneasy Stages (New York: Random House, 1975), 217. drama is "the oldestform of theater which has been continuously performed in the sametraditional manner."[12] So while on the one hand, the religious roots andceremony of foundations of N? drama. The extent of the seriousness with which these masks are studied canbe seen by the fact that one the legendary playwright, Eugene O'Neill'smost famous non-fiction works is his essay on N? in its present form. 13? To be more emotional than they already are, N? And if we remember thatfact, it will be easier to understand what the Western world frequentlyperceives as the emotionless quality of N? The Story of Cinema. drama as a religious ceremonyrather than a theatrical entertainment, is important not simply tounderstand the N? drama visually andcontent-wise, provided the serenity of the familiar feeling that has longbeen one of the appeals of the ritual of the Roman Catholic mass,particularly among uneducated, or Third World nations. drama remains one of the healthiest and most activeforms of nationalistic theater performed in the world. The five plays of the N? and Kabuki withWestern drama at all, for if you're going to compare them with any Westernform of theatricalism, it would probably be more appropriate to discuss thesimilarities with the Roman Catholic mass, for to some extent, they servethe same purposes. masks, Memoranda onMasks.[4] As with Greek drama, the masks can seem a hindrance or anintrusion to modern viewers who wish to see the actor's more expressiveface underneath, but as with Greek drama, N? plays are written andperformed. drama, isactually the unbiased, and balanced long-term wisdom of religious views,rather than the hot-headed flare up of individual emotions that Westerndrama has attuned us to. New York: Random House, 1977.Shipman, David. [4]Sheng-Chuan Lai, "Mysticism and Noh on O'Neill", Theater Journal35(1) (March 198 ): 79. Historian Will Durant has observed that "The first part of thetrilogy was devoted to propitiating the gods, and it was hardly more than areligious pantomime; the second was performed in full armor, and wasdesigned to frighten all evil spirits away; the third was of a milder mood,and sought to portray some charming aspect of nature or some delightfulphase of Japanese life."[5] It was of course essential to begin with a play, or playlette, thatwould appease any possible gods looking down from heaven, reminding us onceagain that the roots of N? The plays are very serious,dealing with major life themes, but occasionally Kiogn or short farces, areperformed in the intervals to lighten or alter the mood. are firmly founded in religion rather thanentertainment. [5]Will Durant, Our Oriental Heritage (New York: Simon and Schuster,1954), 889. drama becomes expressive of thereligious, moral and philosophical message inherent in the playsthemselves. drama hasadded one feature of its own, that of the Hanamichi. This is important because it's very rarein an evening of N? Martin's Press,1982), 223. [6]LaFleur, 119. This is why, unlike Greek and Elizabethan tragedy, the tragedy in N?drama does not come at the end. Middlesex, Great Britain: Guinness Books, 1989.Goff, Janet E. So obviously, such casting makes clearthat Kabuki is after the wisdom and observation about youth that age canmake, and rather than being an attempt at an entertaining portrait of a 19-year-old girl, the performance is more like a 73-year-old man's painting ofthe nature and essence of a young girl. It might move towards thunderingmelodrama or harsh social criticism, but it avoided the big gesture."[9]Once we see that N? drama itself, forthe drama and the method in which it has performed has changed as littleover the years. history with the opening of the National N?Theater in Tokyo."[14] So we se e that the very religious, Buddhisticroots that have kept N? dramadeveloped "from temple festivities and dances until in the 14th century theKanami family of actors created the form still known today."[1] The entire approach and attitude of N? drama for perhaps no national theater is rooted in its nation'sreligion, as is the N? This stress on approaching the N? Uneasy Stages. Thetraditions of the country's art and literature had decreed that it must bedecorative, small scale and civilized. In its very beginnings the N? So the outward style of the N? The Buddhist foundation of N?, it is important to understand becauseBuddhism tries to grow past earthly passions. and Kabuki drama, American theater critic John Simon commentedthat "Whereas Western stylization tends to make things bigger and busierthan they are--the enormous tirades of classical drama, the bedroom chasesof French farce, the mincing of a Restoration comedy fop--Kabuki slowsdown, fixates, makes microscopic, and takes the sting out byschematizing."[1 ] But John Simon makes his mistake in comparing N? "The National N? But theN? drama, no nationin a theatrical performance would expect us to take seriously a 73-year-oldman portraying a 19-year-old girl. Our Oriental Heritage. He may not have anuncontrolled emotional outburst in the course of the mass, even if he'sdiscussing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the head of his church. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1986.Lai, Sheng-Chuan. Goffobserved that, "In N?h circles, 1983 was a particularly significant year.It marked the 6 th anniversary of the death of the great Kan'ami Kiotsugu,who together with son Zeami, created the N? plays[2] and nonew plays have been added to this cycle since the 17th century. Theater." Monumenta Nipponica 39(4) (Winter 1984): 445.LaFleur, William R. "Expression and the Mask: The Dissolution of Personality in Noh." Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 47(2) (Spring 1989): 158.Mitchell, James, ed. Once this is understood, the plays are seen from a whole new,enlightened perspective and give out great rewards. Although the arrangement between the stage and the audience at N?drama is basically that of theater audiences everywhere, the N? The Guinness Book of Answers. A further example of this is that the British with the Elizabethandrama had its roots in popular entertainment, but the N? The Guinness Book of Theater Facts & Feats. As a result, N? [11]Michael Billington, ed., The Guinness Book of Theater Facts & Feats(London: Guinness Superlatives, 1982), 63. Certainly these highlyrespected older members of the community were not going to go through anoutburst of emotional displays, and the wooden masks could both prevent anyoveremotional displays, while at the same time masking any lack of actingability on the part of aristocrats who were taking part. Will Duranthas observed that: "How shall we ever attune ourselves to tolerate what must seem to us the fustian and pantomime of the N? Under dialectical Buddhismthere is the desire to strive past the sort of emotions that lead one tosuch wild emotional outbursts as Western theater specializes in, as wisdomand enlightenment rarely come along with emotional lack of control. drama can be seen by thestage, which is always very simple and virtually bare, with a single firtree painted on the back. That Westerners have long approached N? drama is usually performed with most thecharacters wearing carved wooden masks. In fact, the basic repertoire of 23 N? [9]David Shipman, The Story of Cinema (New York: St. drama remain unchanged as long as many Westernreligious ceremonies. basically unchanged through the centuries, hasalso insured its survival to the present day. It is along this ramp that the performers make their entrances andexits. If Westerners grow impatient occasionallywith N? Certainly no one would expect a Roman Catholic priestto become highly emotional in the course of a mass. These Buddhist undertones and the fact that the plays are designedfor youths, are certainly part of the reason that N? Janet E. Goff, "The National NЗр Theater," Monumenta Nipponica39(4) (Winter 1984): 445. [13]James Mitchell, ed., The Random House Encyclopedia (New York:Random House, 1977), 244 . drama is the struggle upward throughthe levels of consciousness and behavior to attain the higher religiousgoal of dialectical Buddhism. New York: St. Likewise, the cool, unemotionalism, the familiarity of the stories, thevery unchanging quality of the entire performance of N? drama remain viable and unchanging where it mighthave been negatively or even disastrously effected by theatrical trends andfads. plays for there not to be a reincarnation story, asthis is one of the basic ideas. drama correspond in parallel fashion to thesix paths of Rokudo. We must forget Shakespeare and go back to Everyman, and even farther to the religious origins of Greek and modern European drama; then we shall be oriented to watch the development of the ancient Shinto pantomime, the ecclesiastical Kagura dance, into that illumination of pantomime by dialogue which constitutes the N? and its less rigid successor,Kabuki, incorrectly, can be seen by the observation that "The great Kabukiplayer, Baigyoku (who died in 1948), made his last appearance at the age of73 in the role of a 19-year-old girl."[11] While of course all women'sparts, young and old, have always been played by men in N? New York: Simon and Schuster, 1954.Frei, Beatrice, and Honor Head, eds. In Greek and Elizabethan drama, thetragedy usually appears at the end and the character realizes too late whattheir heroic weakness was or how they made a wreck of their life. THE N? This is important to bear in mind, for the N? One of the reasons the outward forms and props of the N? Or Class 4: Genzai-Mono, plays about miscellaneous or contemporary figures. BibliographyBillington, Michael, ed. Thisfirm following of the ritual patterns is as strict as that of any Westernchurch, and has helped N? [7]Durant, 889. The Random House Encyclopedia. Like the Greek plays, the N? drama, but to appreciate it as an art form. has its roots inSarugaku, an earlier school of expression that was also used for temple andshrine entertainments on holy days and festivals. The N? As observed in The Karma of Words, "Itconsists of an Epiphanic event fairly early in most plays in therepertoire, a moment in which the main character discloses that he or sheis a reincarnation of someone who lived previously."[6] This not only underlines the religious foundations again of the N?drama, but has a double purpose. [14]Janet E. drama. drama has been designed to make theaudience wiser and more understanding of the values of Buddhism andemotional outbursts and rapid-paced patter would destroy any suchpotential. These six steps and the five plays that representthem parallel the steps necessary to attain the higher plane of religiousperfection through reincarnation. plays of Japan? dramas would bedescending to the same sort of overemotionalism that is the very objectlesson of their stories that they hope will help individuals improve theirlife and move up the steps of the six paths. This becomes clear if we relate back to the six paths of Rokudo, andremember that it is usually the intense, hyperemotionality andoveremotional outbursts that limit an individual's rising on the six stepsand makes them descend a step by such behavior. A further parallel with the mass can be found in that frequently theactors in the Kabuki drama were men of standing in the community, evenamong the highest levels of the aristocracy. is related more to a religious ceremony than atheatrical event, this all makes sense, for intense, hyperemotionalitywould be out of place at a religious ceremony. In expressing his doubtsabout N? This is what PeterLamarque was referring to when he wrote "In his essay, "Certain Noble Playsof Japan", Yeats reveals what attracted him most about N?h: "distance fromlife", its "aristocratic form", its indirectness and symbolism, and itsdignified treatment of ancient myths and legends."[8] So we see that whatthe Western mind often sees as the emotional coolness of N? drama is not designed for entertainment, it's designed for religiouspurposes and therefore for actual daily use. This is also why the music has alwaysremained consisting of a big drum, two hand drummers, and a flute. This is why it comes early on in the evening, rather thanat the close as in Greek and Elizabethan drama. The subjects of the plays fall into one of five preordained topics,and these are the only topics about which N? "Mysticism and Noh on O'Neill." Theater Journal 35(1) (March 198 ): 79.Lamarque, Peter. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.