AUTHOR
Mori Ogai Rintaro Mori (Great Japanese Meiji Restoration writer) Feb. 17, 1862 – born in Shimane Prefecture Eldest son of a physician to the local daimyo (feudal lord) 1872 – His father took him to Tokyo to learn German at a private school 1874 – Recorded his age as 14 years old to enter the preparatory course of Tokyo Medical College 1881- Became the youngest student ever to graduate at 19 yrs. Old from the University of Tokyo Tokyo 1884-1888 – studied medicine in Germany 1888 – Return to Japan and modernize both Japanese medicine and literature literature 1890 – He published Maihime (Dancing Girl) 1894 – Serves as an army surgeon in Suno-Japanese War War 1904-1905 – Russo-Japanese War 1907 – Promoted to the rank of surgeon general of the Japanese army July 8, 1922 – he died •
Literature -beginning of European influences to literature -new techniques and approaches - Naturalism and Realism enters Japanese Literature
PLOT The story is told in the first person by a narrator who also takes some parts in the action. • •
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1880, 13th reign of Emperor Meiji The narrator lodged in Kamijo He had a lodge mate who happened to be his friend due to their common interest- reading, his name is Okada September, when Okada met the “woman on the window” and gets attracted to her
The narrator turned back the story before Okada’s account happened. (The story of the “woman on the window”) •
In a dormitory in Shitaya, there were servants whom students could use for errands and one of them is Suezo
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Aside from being a servant, he is also said to be a money lender When he began working in the university, he is already 30 years old and had a wife and a child to support He made a good fortune through money lending, thus they moved to a new house but he began to dissatisfied with his wife He look for a mistress and her name is Otama
He wrote numerous works: Autobiographical 1909 – Vita Sexualis 1911 – Wild Geese Historical Novels 1913 – The Abe Family 1915 – Sasho Daya 1916 – The Takase Boat Shibue Chusai •
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He translated the works of several European authors (Henry Ibsen, Goethe, Anderson etc).
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Helped create a new literature for the Japanese people through expand
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MEIJI PERIOD
Opening of Japan to the West Industrialization Radical reforms -Educational System (Compulsory education) -Military System (from the traditional samurai to the compulsory military service)
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After what he had heard about the separation of Otama to his American policeman husband, he started to court the lady He placed the lady at a house in Muenzaka and they also agreed that Otama’s father will be placed in a house near to her at Ike- nohata Otsune, Suezo’s wife heard gossips about the lady in Muenzaka, she confronted him but Suezo denied it
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It is at this point that we return to the moment of her first meeting with Okada, from here on, the story proceeds to its ending. •
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Time passed, Otama became bored and began to dream that one of the students who passes by in her house would save her from her predicament September, she met Okada Suezo bought two linnets (birds) for Otama which attacked by a snake but Okada came to the rescue and killed the snake. Otama is longing for Okada
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Otama arranged that both Suezo and her maid will be away one evening and plans to meet and talk to Okada.
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Okada told his friend, the narrator, that he will be going to Germany to study medicine the very next day and this is why he refused to react to Otama’s presence The story ends as the narrator explained how he came to learn both sides of the affair
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A persevere and discipline man who struggle for creating a good fortune in life A manipulative manipulative man A discontented man, looking for another interest in life by means of Otama
Otama’s Father
A loving and giving father
Otsune The ugly and quarrelsome wife of Suezo A neurotic wife seeking for attention and affection from Suezo
THEMES
Tradition against the changing society. society.
A woman’s struggle for escape Societal Restraint vs. Emotional Relations Desire vs. Duty
CHARACTERS Narrator
A friend to Okada
Okada A quiet, good student who fell in love with Otama A man who torn between two hitch but chose to fulfill his duty than his desire
Otama A virtuous daughter The mistress of Suezo A kept woman who strives to escape from the only man who can help her to fulfill her desire to give her father a trouble free old age.
SYMBOLS Caged linnets (birds) represents Otama’s cry for escape Wild geese- traditional and recurring symbol in Japanese Literature; represents departure and sadness. In the story the flight of the geese represents the departure of Okada.
PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERPINNINGS ANTHROPOCENTRISM Is reflected in the novel, especially in the character of Otama
Suezo A servant who turned moneylender
POWER OF THE MOMENT
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Pg. 1 “All the borders in the Kamijo were Medical students…” Pg. 22” When the medical school moved from Shitaya to Hongo
When Otsune wants to go back to her past; with her parents and family, but she cannot because she is already a wife of Suezo. Okada and Otama let the moment, were they can talked, passed.
BELIEF IN SHAME
Otama did not feel guilty as regards to her being a mistress; instead she felt shame when she found out that she was an usurer’s mistress.
Pg. 117 “Silentium” exclaimed Ishihara “Calculating the volume of a cone” “pi equals 3.1416”
GOODNESS AND BADNESS IS RELATIVE
Suezo cannot complain about what Otsune is reacting towards him as well as with their family because he knows that he is the main factor why she is in that state.
Use of Western Words and Mathematics
Reference: Mori Ogai and The Modernization of Japanese Culture by James Browing (1972)
WESTERN INFLUENCE
The mention of Western objects Pg. 23 “ …noticed a pair of western shoes in the doorway” Pg. 107”….A European book of Children’s stories”
Accounts that mentions that Westerners lived in Japan Pg. 23”…the loss of Otama to a policeman with terrifying looks was like having her carried off by a monster with a long nose and a red face Pg. 30”…Some westerners were beheaded at Namayagi” Pg. 41”…A Foreigner ! What a hat she got on!
The presence of University/ Medical School; dormitory
The Family by Pa Chin Pa Chin 1904 Li Pei Chan May Forth Movement of 1919 led by youth, students... rejects old tradition Anarchist st 1 novel- Mi Wang 'The Destruction' The Family Autobiographical novel of Pa Chin (as seen in the character of Chui Hui) introduced by describing a place WINTER (cold) incident at the theater rally outside the governor's errors home Chui Hui's imprisonment at home New Youth Magazine ( writer) New Year celebration Dragon Dance Ming Feng: forced to be concubine Death SUMMER (Climax) th 66 b-day of Master Kao mutual understanding of Chu-MinChin
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Arrange Marriage Grandniece of Feng-Chi- Min Mei's Death Chue-Min: left the house with a demand Ket-Ing secret revealed Master Kao's change of heart Death of Master Kao Ju- Chue left the city Death
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AUTUMN (New Born) Chu Min and Chin to marry Chue Hui's departure Chinese Theater
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What is Theater? •
Theater ( theatron or “seeing place”) may be defined as not only as a structure in which dramatic performance are given, but as the sum of all the arts required for production, of a dramatic or imitative action.
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History of Chinese Theater date is unknown; developed by civic and national ceremony said to be established by an emperor in 700 B.C, where the writers developed a “poetic drama” Developed by assimilation; by the patronage of the succeeding emperors and the corresponding conversion of the Chinese people. •
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5400 B.C. – music existed in China 2205- 1766 B.C- the second dynasty or “Golden Age”, religious worship was accompanied by music and dances which present occupation of people (plowing, harvesting, war and peace); dances illustrate feeling of working, joy, fatigue and content. The earliest historical record of theatrical activity is from Spring to Autumn period (722481 B.C.) During the Zhou Dynasty, Emperor Yang had 300 performers working on his
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court at New Year’s celebrations. The Emperor Hsuang Tsung of the Tang dynasty (618-905 AD) commanded that a large professional troupe to be trained at the Li Hsuan (Pear Garden) In the Imperial Palace. Since then, actors and actresses in China have come to be known as “Children of the Pear Garden”. He built a school in the garden palace to teach men and women the art of dancing and music and probably chose court entertainers from this group. The Chinese Shadow Show became popular Many plays were written during the Sung Dynasty (960- 1273 A.D). Some 2890 titles of various dramas have been preserved to this day. Many of their popular plays involve acrobatics and music. The drama of the Yuan Dynasty (1280- 1368 A.D) ranks with Tang and Sung poetry as some of the best examples of Chinese literature. The plays of Yuan drama are very tightly structures structures into four acts, with only one performer allowed to sing in each act. The acrobatics and music of Sung Dynasty were developed into a more sophisticated form with a four or five act structure. During the Ming Dynasty (1368- 1644 A.D), Kun Opera was established, which originated in the city of Kunshan in Southern China. The Manchu/Qing Dynasty (1644- 1911 A.D) saw the beginnings of the popular Peking Opera style of performance. performance. In the time of the Emperor Tong Zhu, there were 13 performers who were particularly instrumental in developing this form. They were called the “Best Thirteen of Tong Zhu”.
Trad raditio ition nal Chin Chines ese e Thea Theate terr
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An actor does not just laugh: he laughs in twenty different ways: hilariously, happily, etc. There is no scenery, just chairs and tables Props are props for the audience’s imagination imagination Costumes and make-up define their roles
Types of Chinese Theater
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Kun Drama = Singing in style, a new mixture of both northern and southern elements, there developed what came to eventually to be China’s most highbrow and classical theater and music, Kunju ( Kun drama), often called the Kun Songs Jing ju (Peking Opera) = Peking Opera most commonly enacts short episodes or vignettes from well-known larger dramas or cycles of stories. = there is brevity; the extenuated and often falsetto mode of singing; the unique combination of dialect pronunciations; the fantastically showy costuming for major male roles; the highly elaborate painted face patterns; the symbolic and stylized movements and acrobatics and the absence of realistic scenery
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Types of Chinese Opera Roles •
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– Female roles
- Clown Roles
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Yun Pa Pan Sh Shin Subjects are about Patriotism and Filial devotion The music and action are united Jin Pan Shi shows cibvil and military conditions; the difference with Yun Pan Shi is in the manner of singing certain roles and in the tradition of acting. Yun Min Shi considered as the “ Modern play” colloquial dialects are allowed instead of Mandarin (official language; which is the acceptable speech of the stage and nation)
Other Types 1. Cheng Cheng-- Pan Pan (his (histor torica icall play plays) s) 2. ChuChu- tou tou (civ (civil il piec pieces es)) 3. Ku- Wie (far (farce ces) s) -
An a civil military play must be included on each day’s program; a popular subject that may appear in six or eight plays during an evening
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Civil Pl Plays deals with the entanglement of everyday life. B. Mili Milita tary ry Play Plays s concerned with the historical episodes and heroic or filial acts. -
– Male roles
Jin - Painted- face Roles (male roles with very strong personalities) Chou
by a rapid walk of all all the characters in piece
Divided in acts and scenes. A change of scene is indicated by pantomime or
Usual Subject Matter 1. his histor tory y of countr country y (Lon (Long g Plays Plays)) 2. fil filial ial piety ety 3. exal exalta tati tion on of of lear learni ning ng 4. native native vice vices s and and pecu peculia liarit rities ies of of official corruption 5. vice vices s comm common on to to mank mankin ind d 6. lega legall anom anomal alie ies s 7. absur absurdi ditie ties s of religi religious ous prac practic tices es
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Subject of Five Blessings 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
to have have son ( from from the desir desire e to provide for old age) riche riches s (harv (harvest ests s well well pro protec tected ted)) long long life life (immu (immunit nity y from from chol cholera era)) reco recove very ry fro from m sick sickne ness ss office -
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Themes Conf onfucian ianism ism learning and filial devotion 2. Buddhism source of most of Buffonery and Force Woman Playwrights 1. 2. 3. 4.
Yuan Dynasty has 500 plays of unknown authors
Men Playwrights
Tchao chao-- Min Mingg- King King Tchan changg- Koueoue- Pin Pin Hong Hong--Tseuseu-Li Lieu eull Hoa-Li-Lang
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Kouan ouan-H -Han an-K -Kin ing g (wrot (wrote e 60 plays) 2. KaoKao-W Wen-S en-Sie ieou ou (30) (30) 3. Tchin chingg- Te- Hoeu Hoeu (18) (18) 4. Pe-Jin e-Jin-F -Fon on (14) (14)
- “The Romance of the Western Pavilion” is the first play translated into a European Language in the 13 th century.
Influenced by by Co Confucianism, Buddhistic/ Hinduistic, Taoistic Philosophies •
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Confucianism- stresses discipline, moral behavior, and respect for authority, love for scholarship, family unity, filial piety, peace and order; the concept of PAO ( when one receives receives gift, s/he should pay it back with a better gift to show one’s gratitude) Buddhism/ Hinduism – emphasize the need to eliminate desires
Spring Snow By: Yukio Mishima •
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Yukio Mishima •
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Development of old civilization and in that ageless country of stability and decay is a style which is profoundly worked on.
Famous Playwrights
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Puppet shows are attributed to the beginning of Chinese Drama.
suggest comic relief from religious hysteria (not all Chinese believe in Buddha but Chinese know his omnipotence)
Born Hiraoka Kimitake in Tokyo on 1925 as the son of a government official. A prolific writer and considered by many many to be the the most most impo import rtan antt
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through self- discipline and meditation; reincarnation -Superstitions are inherited from Buddhistic principle; to denote mortality and playwright’s inspiration for extravaganza Taoism- stresses freedom from desires, simplicity and mystical contemplation of nature that will enable people to discover the Way or tao; man’s reverence (awe) of nature; holistic essence of Taoism ( if morality is committed in the governance or individual affairs of men, or personal relationship, nature is disturbed): occurrence of natural calamities, e.g. snow in mid-summer Ja Japanes anese e novelis elistt of the the 20th century. His His work works s incl includ udes es 20 nove novels ls,, poetry, essays and modern Kabuki and Noh drama. He was nominate nominated d thrice thrice for for the Nobel Prize for Literature As a writer, Mishima drew ins inspirati ration on from pre-m e-moder odern n lite litera ratu turre, both both Japa Japane nese se and and Western.
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His first major work The Confessions of A Mask (1949), dealt with his disco scovery ery of his own homosexuality. All All his his life life Mish Mishim ima a was was deep deeply ly attracted to the austere patriotism of Impe Imperi rial al Japa Japan, n, and and samu samura raii spirit of Japan’s past. He comm commit itte ted d sepp seppuk uku u (rit (ritua uall disem disembow bowelm elmen ent) t) on the day he wrote the final pages of The of The Sea of Fertility tetralogy. Fertility tetralogy.
SETTING: The novel is set in Tokyo in 1912, in the closed circles circles of the imperial imperial court and nobility. The The wane wane of the Russo-Ja usso-Japan panese ese War, and the onset of the Taish Taisho o era •
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An elegant family with a waning aristocracy. The head of the the fami familly was was app appoin ointed ted cham chambe berl rlai ain n of the the Impe Imperi rial al Cour ourt when it esta estab blish lishe ed residence in Tokyo at the time of the Meiji Restoration. The Matsugaes An old old samu samura raii fami family ly.. The The Marqui Marquis s though, though, embarra embarrassed ssed by the the humb humble le posi positi tion on his his forebears had occupied at the end of shogu shoguna nate te fifty fifty years years ago, tried to imposed Western culture among the proximity of his residence. The Toinnomiyas The High Imperial Family- a family of magnanimous and sturdy nature •
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PLOT OVERVIEW: The Abbess and Satoko’s visit Kiyoaki and Marquis Matsugae’s stroll Arrival of the Siamese princes Kiyoaki’s letter to Satoko The Kabuki play at the Imperial Theater The rickshaw ride The Cherry Blossom Festival Satoko’s engagement to Prince Harunori Kiyoaki Kiyoaki and Satoko’s Satoko’s intimate intimate encounter Kiyoaki’s confession to Honda The vacation at Chung-nan villa Satoko’s pregnancy Exposure of Kiyoaki and Satoko’s secret Satoko’s visit in Gesshu Kiyoaki’s death •
CHARACTERS: Kiyoaki Matsugae A young aristocrat on his first manhood. Oftentimes rest restra rain ined ed,, indi indiff ffer eren entt and and prone to melancholy. Satoko Ayakura Th The Coun ount and Countess tess’’ exqu exquis isit ite e daug daught hter er.. At firs firstt treated by Kiyoaki as much as an enemy as anything else. Shigekuni Honda Son of the Court Justice Honda, and and is Kiyo Kiyoak aki’ i’s s best bestfr frie iend nd.. Comp Compo osed sed, quiet iet and and has rational temperament. Tadeshina Satoko’s old servant. Prince Pattanadid Addressed Addressed more respectfully respectfully as Chao Chao P., youn younger ger broth brother er of King Rahma VI of Siam. Prince Kridsada Chao P.’s cousin, a grandson of King Rahma VI. Iinuma Kiyoaki’s retainer and immediate attendant. Miné One of the Matsugae’s maids. She She has has a secr secret et affa affair ir with with Iinuma. Abbess of Gesshu Satoko’s •
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THEMES Adherence to Western Culture One of the major themes of the novel is the conflict in Japanese Society caused by westernization in the early 20 th century. century. The influence of western culture experienced during the Meiji Period continues in the Taisho era. Japanese not only adapts the western clothes, foods and arts but also adapts their culture.
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Friendship Friendship between Kiyoaki and Honda.
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The Ayakuras
Loyalty
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Loyalty of a friend to his friend Loyalty of a servant to his master. Love, Passion and Sacrifice The story revolves on the love story of Kiyoaki and Satoko.
SYMBOLS Photograph in Sepia Ink Represents of new kind of war-the war of emotions The house of Matsugae and Honda House of Hondalead the Japanese lifestyle but the atmosphere is western House of Matsugaeseems to lead a westernize life but the atmosphere strikingly and traditionally Japanese. Represents Yukio Mishima’s beliefs in western technology and Japanese idea. •
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The Waterfall Symbolizes tranquility, purity, and fluidity of life. Symbolizes relentless passage of time. The Dreams Represents Kiyoaki’s emotions Serves as a foreshadow Kemari Represents the Law of Karma. The higher the players keep keep the ball on air, the greater the impact of its fall. The Seasons Highlights Highlights the emotions of the characters
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