The Noh drama of Japan reached such heights of perfection in the late 15th century that few have dared to tinker with it since. Though the scripts, music, and dance of the current repertoire, having been passed down from teacher to disciple, remain largely unchanged, Noh continues to enjoy both a popularity in modern Japan and the attention of theater and literature fans all over the world. The challenge, though, has been explaining how these plays of lovers and warriors can move a Western audience so far removed both temporally and culturally. This course will focus on both developing an appreciation for this genre and experimenting with the tools by which this appreciation can be articulated. We will read a wide variety of Noh plays and critically analyze the frameworks (formalism, structuralism, new criticism, Buddhist, performative, etc.) within which both Eastern and Western thinkers have explained their understanding of Noh.
Requirements:
Students will be required to write FOUR papers, each of approximately 6 pages in length, on topics to be discussed in class. As the development of writing skills is a central goal of the class, grammar, spelling, and punctuation will all figure into the grading of papers. Students should be prepared to share these papers with classmates. As per college guidelines, returned papers must be corrected by the student and resubmitted.
As the course will be conducted in a seminar format, student participation is required. This means coming to class prepared to discuss the readings and willing to voice your opinions.
There will be occasional homework assignments connected to the reading, library research assignments, or for the purpose of sharpening writing skills. In addition, the instructor reserves the right to give "pop" quizzes.
Texts:
- Japanese No Dramas.
Translated and edited by Royall Tyler.
New York: Penguin Books, 1985. - The Tale of Genji,Murasaki Shikibu.
Translated by Edward G. Seidensticker. New York: Vintage Books, 1985. - The Tale of Heike.
Translated by Helen Craig McCullough. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1988. - Critical Practice
Catherine Belsey. New York: Methuen & Co., 1980.