Reading and Discussion Questions for Week [Scroll down for Discussion Questions]

Week 4a: Kyôgen Elements of Performance (costumes, props, movement, voice)

a. Review Brazell, “Elements of Performance” TJT (115-125, for the parts on Kyogen)
b. The Delicious Poison (Busu), TJT pp. 235-44, Japanese
c. The Snail (Kagyu) TJT pp. 255-68
d. Narihira and the Rice Cakes(Narihira Mochi) Japanese, English synopsis
e. Two Daimyo (Futari Daimyo) [TJT 226-234]

READING QUESTIONS

Review Brazell, “Elements of Performance”for the sections on Kyogen and comparisons between Kyogen and Noh:

1. How is the use of masks different in Noh and Kyogen? What kind of characters wear masks in Kyogen?

2. What are the general categories of Kyogen plays?

The Plays: Two Daimyo, Delicious Poison, The Snail, Narihira and the Rice Cakes:

1. What category does each of these plays fit into?

2. From just reading the plays, what is humorous about them? Who or what are they making fun of?

3. In each of these plays, how are social roles reversed? Who wins in the end?

4. In Two Daimyo, how are the daimyo lords portrayed? In a time of government censorship, why do you suppose it was okay to make fun of these samurai?

5. In Kagyu (The Snail), how is the Yamabushi mountain priest (called a warrior priest in The Snail) different from the ones we've seen in Adachigahara and Dôjôji? Is he as powerful? In The Snail what effect does the singing and dancing seem to have on Tarô Kaja?

6. In Narihira and the Rice Cakes (Narihira mochi) what aspects of Ariwara no Narihira's character are being made fun of (compare the Narihira we've seen in Izutsu and the legends about Ono no Komachi in Kayoi Komachi)?

Week 4b: Kyôgen as Parody

a. Carolyn Haynes: "Parody in Kyôgen: Makura monogurui and Tako"
b. Kaminari (Thunderbolt) TJT pp. 61-67, Japanese
c. Owls (Fukuro Yamabushi)

First read the plays Makura monogurui (Pillow Mania) and Tako (The Octopus). Note: Makura monogorui and Tako are at the end of the Carolyn Haynes article, "Parody in Kyogen."

Second, read Carolyn Haynes, "Parody in Kyôgen."

Third, read Kaminari (Thunderbolt) and Fukuro Yamabushi (Owls)

DISCUSSION QUESTION on Owls and Thunderbolt (see performances in This is Kyogen) and images (Thunderbolt)

A. These two plays are meant to parody Noh. What category of Noh are they parodying: deity? warrior? female? miscellaneous present time? exorcism?

B. What elements reverse your expectations?

C. What kinds of humor, visual and linguistic, do you see? Consider plot structure; allusions to poetry/Noh; word play/poetic techniques; dance and movement; costumes/masks/props; use of music/song.

D. What appears to be the attitude toward the supernatural (spirits and deities) and towards religious figures such as Mountain Priests? Is it surprising to you? Why or why not?