EA170 Week 7b

Bernstein's explanation of the difference between gender and biological sex (p. 2):

Gender, unlike sex, is not a biological given, but is, in the words of Evelyn Fox Keller, "a socially constructed and culturally transmitted organizer of our inner and outer worlds." Whereas sex roles refer merely to the fixed range of capabilities of female and male genitalia, gender roles are sociohistorical conventions of deportment arbitrarily attributed to females or males. "Women" and "men" are culturally created categories. Our goal is to understand continuity and change in Japanese ideals of femininity, in the processes by which women were trained to approximate those ideals, and in the ways that their actual roles diverged from these ideals.

I. Discussion Questions

A. Do onnagata reinforce the idea that gender is the natural outcome of one's biological sex? Or subvert it?

1. What the question means:

a. People tend to believe: normative gender stereotypes are natural (gender = biological sex)

b. Performance of feminine gender (femininity) by onnagata

 

B. Why might onnagata be considered ideally feminine according to Shingaku philosophy?

Robertson, p. 106:

The paragon of female-likeness in Tokugawa society remained the Kabuki onnagata: male actors who modeled gender constructs developed by male intellectuals. In effect, women's hypothetical achievement of "female" gender was tatamount to their impersonation of female-like males, who, in turn, were not impersonating particular females but rather enacting an idealized version (and vision) of female-likeness. Bakufu [Shogunate] ideology did not and could not accomodate women's control over the constuction and representation of "female" gender.

1.Why can only a male actor performing as an onnagata achieve ideal "female-likeness"?

a.

b.

2. How is this different from cross-dressing in the west?

1. Is it “camp”?


2. Formal technique (kata) for form, posture, gesture, choreography:


3. Level of realism:

C. Do onnagata subvert normative gender roles for womene? Or do they reinforce them? Or both?

a. Subvert?

b. Support?

D. How do onnagata compare to the representation of women in Noh?

II. Yoshizawa Ayame from “The Actor’s Analects”

A. NOTE: Yoshizawa Ayame (1673-1729) is writing as a practicing onnagata in the early 18th century. As such he does not understand the theoretical distinctions we use in our class, and is likely to confuse gender and biological sex in his discussions of how to perform the idealized feminine.

1. Does Ayame think that realism is important? Items VII, X, XI, XXII, XXIII

a. Item V:

b. Item XX:

c. Items VII, X, XI, XXII, XXIII:

2. Which women are considered most feminine? Which are least feminine? Why?

a. Item 1, III, XII:

1) most feminine:

2) least feminine:


III. Bunraku or Ningyo Jôruri

A. Terms

1. Bunraku : name of the theater in Osaka

2. Jôruri: the form of recitation that the chanters used, borrowed from priests who played the biwa lute and chanted the Tale of Heike. The chanters were originally mostly blind.

B. Early use of puppets:

1. purification rituals, substitutes:

2. size:

C. Chikamatsu (1676-1724) :

1. Began in Kabuki:

2. Increased size of puppets:

D. Patronage for Kabuki and Bunraku:

1. Merchant culture:

2. Setting fashion:

a) Onnagata as an ideal: can real women live up to it?

b) Onnagata today

.

IV. Conflict in Bunraku/Kabuki versus Noh

A. Role of Neo-Confucianism and Buddhism

B. Ninjo (human feelings/compassion) versus giri (duty)

1. giri:

2. ninjo:

3. Plot conflict generator: comparison to Star Trek's "Prime Directive" (see also "Obstructive Code of Conflict")

As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Star Fleet personnel may interfere with the healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes the introduction of superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely.
— General Order no. 1 (the Prime Directive), Star Trek[Taken from tvtropes.org]

 

V. The Love Suicides at Amijima (Shinju Ten no Amijima, sewamono by Chikamatsu):

YOUTUBE video of NHK presentations on Bunraku version of Love Suicides at Amijima part 1, part 2 (in Japanese)

Background Info

A. Setting of the Play

1. Act 1: The pleasure quarter:

a. Social function of the pleasure quarters and theater quarters:

2. Act 2: the Domestic Sphere

B. Based on real life double-suicide

C. Main characters:

1. Osan:

2. Kamiya Jihei (nickname: Kamiji):

3. Magoemon:

4. Gozaemon and wife (Aunt):

5. Koharu:

6. Tahei:

D. What is the giri/ninjo problem that ultimately causes Koharu and Jihei to commit suicide?

1. Jihei has been seeing Koharu for 2-3 years; why do they feel they have to commit suicide now?

a. Tahei:


b. Jihei:

1) Tahei's discussion of money and samurai:

“You may not want to hear me but the clink of my gold coins will make you listen! What a lucky girl you are! Just think--of all the men in Temma and the rest of Osaka, you chose Jihei the paper dealer, the father of two-children, with his cousin for a wife, his uncle for his father-in-law! A man whose business is so tight he's at his wit's end every sixty days merely to pay the wholesaler's bills! Do you think he'll be able to fork over nearly ten kamme to ransom you? That reminds me of the mantis who picked a fight with an oncoming cart! But look at me -- I haven't a wife, a father-in-law, a father, or even an uncle, for that matter. Tahei the Lone Wolf--that's the name I'm known by. I admit that I'm no match for Jihei when it comes to bragging about myself in the Quarter, but when it comes to money, I'm an easy winner. If I pushed with all the strength of my money, who knows what I might conquer?” (pp. 336-37)

“Koharu, I'm a townsman. I've never worn a sword, but I've lots of New Silver in my place, and I think that the glint could twist a mere couple of swords out of joint.” (p. 338)

c. Koharu:.

d. Credit:

E. Do you think they are justified in committing suicide? Do you think they have any choice?

1. Suicide as resistance:

2. Theater as a living newspaper:

VII. Comparison of Osan and Koharu

A. What are the main characteristics of the two main female characters?

1. Koharu, the mistress:

a. What do you think of her convincing Jihei that she no longer loves him because Osan sent her a letter?

2. Osan, the wife:

a. What do you think of Osan's behavior towards Jihei and Koharu in pawning all her clothes, and offering to be the nanny?

b. Robertson, p. 97-98

c. Aunt: "A man's dissipation can always be traced to his wife's carelessness. Remember, it's not only the man who is disgraced when he goes bankrupt and his marriage breaks up. You'd do well to take notice of what's going on and assert yourself a bit more." (p. 347)

.

B. What do you make of the idea that women would be motivated by “giri” to a fellow woman?

C. How are women portrayed differently in this play from women in Noh and Kyogen?

1. Confucian ideals for women:

a. split in sexuality:

b. two sides of a whole?

2. Noh:

3. Kyôgen:

D. Performance differences between Osan and Koharu

1. Similar puppet heads

 

 

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