Japanese Literature:Noh, Kabuki, and Haiku

Brief History of JapanHeavy cultural influence from China and Korea (Buddhism, ways of farming, art, language / letters)First emerged as separate state in eighth century C.E.; feudal dynasties began. Chose to be isolated.12th to 19th centuries: Samurais ruled (shogun), emperor was only figurehead1853: American Commodore Matthew Perry (with four warships) “requested” Japan to begin trading1868: After civil war, shogun resigns and Emperor restored to power; once again, he is truly in charge of Japan. Emperor begins modernization of country, abolishes samurai class and feudal system.

Japanese Literature

Theater:

Noh

Kabuki

Poetry:

Haiku

NohOldest (formalized by 1400’s)Stories are spiritual in nature (ghosts, demons, possessions)Masks are wornAudience is aristocratic / upper classelegant, refined

Noh (page 2)

Simple sets, little or no props

Stage has three sides for audience, connects to dressing room (separated by curtain)

Accompanied by music / “chorus”

A Traditional Noh Theater

Kabuki

Developed around 1600’s

Stories based on folklore, history

Highly stylized makeup

Appeals to middle class audience that often yells during performance

lavish, exaggerated

Kabuki (page 2)

Elaborate sets, often using special effectsExtensive use of props, especially the fanStage has one side (long proscenium), walkway connects to rear of theaterAccompanied by music / “chorus”omnagata: males performing as females

Comparisons: Kabuki and Elizabethan (Shakespearean) Theater

When thinking of how Elizabethan theater is like Kabuki, particularly A Midsummer Night’s Dream, consider:Only men play female partsHuman characters interact with supernatural people / forces (fairies)Use of songsExaggeration, especially for humorLove of special effects (Globe Theater: trap doors, galleries, cannons)

Contemporary Influence of Kabuki & Noh

Japanese anime (cartoons) and manga (comic books)

Costume / makeup design for modern movies (such as Star Wars)

HaikuA form of minimalist Japanese poetryWas opening stanza of longer poem before becoming stand-alone formTraditionally, the subject is nature or the seasonsAttempts to be profound, or compare two unlike thingsConsists of three lines and a certain number of syllables per lineTraditionally, haiku is 5-7-5.Because of language differences, Japanese haiku that is translated into English may not fall into this syllabic structure.

Japanese Haiku

the first cold showereven the monkey seems to wanta little coat of straw.

old pond (fu/ru/i/ke ya)a frog jumps (ka/wa/zu to/bi/ko/mu)the sound of water (mi/zu no o/to)

--both by Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

English Haiku

A leaf falls forward –

A tumbling red-gold toddler

Meets the ground surprised.

Moist snowflake gleams, perched

At the end of my own nose

Before it melts, like lost tears.