Bruce A. McMenomy, Ph.D. and Christe A. McMenomy, Ph.D. for Scholars Online
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17: Wed, Oct 30, 2019
Please post in the forum for the day a short essay in response to the following:
Drama is one of the art forms that took deep root in the Far East, and both China and Japan had their indigenous forms. I know that this is probably somewhat more reading than you really have time for, and I'm not expecting you to read either of them completely (though you certainly may if you want). Mostly I'd like you to read parts of these plays and discuss how they differ for you.
One is Atsumori, a Noh (Nō) play by Zeami (Seami) Motokiyo (ca. 1363-1443); the other is The Peony Pavilion, a tragicomic Kunqu opera by Tang Xianzu (1550-1616).
Read at least a representative selection of each, and put together your thoughts about their similarities and differences. They are obviously different in many ways — in nationality, language, literary tradition, production scale, and time: this is accordingly a pretty open-ended assignment. We have found, however, that looking directly at original sources is one of the most envigorating ways to study any history, and this is one of those situations where you can tell us what you see. On those grounds, therefore, what do you notice that’s different about them, and what does that tell you about the cultures that gave rise to them?
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