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Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu

Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu

Paperback

Series: Translations from the Asian Classics

Plays

ISBN10: 0231111010
ISBN13: 9780231111010
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Published: Sep 29 1997
Pages: 220
Weight: 0.60
Height: 0.45 Width: 5.54 Depth: 7.94
Language: English
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.

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Plays