EA 170 Week 4b-5a Study Questions (Fall 2017)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS WEEK 5: click here

Week 4b-5a Readings:

Useful background information for Aoi no Ue and Nonomiya:

Nonomiya and Aoi no Ue were written in the 14th-15th centuries using the story of Rokujô and Genji from Tale of Genji as their basis. Both were probably written using one of the handbooks on Tale of Genji (a kind of "Reader's Digest" or "Cliff Notes" version of the story summarizing basic plot, characters and important poems). These handbooks became popular in the Muromachi period for use by poets and playwrights who wanted to use material from Tale of Genji but couldn't manage to read the original. At any rate, there are some significant differences between the play versions and the story, so it will help to go back and reread those two chapters from Tale of Genji.

I. Background info specific to Aoi no Ue

A. Structure: Straightforward theatrical representation of exorcism ritual in "real" time.

B. Authorship: Unknown; a relatively early play (pre-Zeami)

C. Patronage: probably Buddhist temple to push didactic message about power of Buddhism

STUDY QUESTIONS FOR AOI NO UE:

1) Look for the differences between Aoi no Ue and the original story in Tale of Genji; list supporting lines from the play. In class we will be trying to understand how the very different historical context and goals of the play might have caused significant changes in the story and in how Rokujo is represented.

a. What is the central conflict for Rokujo in the play? Is it the same or different from the conflict she faced in Tale of Genji?

b. Is Rokujô alive or dead in this version?

c. What are Rokujo's reasons for attacking Aoi no ue here? Is she concious of what she is doing?

d. Is Aoi alive or dead at the end of the play?

d. Who does Rokujo appear to (via possession) in the play? In Tale of Genji? What is the role of the priests in each? Why the difference?

e. Does Rokujo get enlightenment?

3) How does Buddhism and shamanic exorcism function in this play? Does it play the same role in Tale of Genji? Why does the shamaness Teruhi scold Rokujô?  How does the role of the Priest here differ from the priests in Tale of Genji?

4) Why do you suppose Genji is left out of this play? Why might Aoi no Ue only be represented as a kimono robe at the front of the stage?

5) How is the carriage incident from Tale of Genji transformed in the Noh play through its association with the Lotus Sutra's parable of the Burning House (scroll down to here)?

II. Useful background information on Nonomiya (The Wildwood Shrine); see also "photo story"

Note that here Rokujô is referred to as Miyasudokoro, her title as the wife of the ex-crown prince, and mother of an imperial princess (Akikonomu). This play is a typical "dream vision" noh, in which a ghost appears as a local person in the first half, and then returns in the second half in his or her true persona, perhaps in the priest's dream.

A. Formal structure: Basic plot of Dream Vision (mugen) Noh:

1. Ghost returns to the place that has the strongest emotional memory for it (place of death, last place it met loved one etc.).
2. When he/she first appears to a wandering monk, they seem to be just a local person, but reveal too much knowledge about the events that took place in this spot.
3. They eventually admit that they are a ghost and ask a wandering monk to pray for their release from passionate attachments and enlightenment.
4. In the second half of the play they appear in their true form
a. warrior: re-enacts his death through dance
b. woman: dances in memory of her beloved
5. Usually (but not always) at the end they achieve enlightenment.

B. Authorship: Zeami’s son-in-law Zenchiku (1405-1470?)

C. Patronage: highly cultured samurai and aristocrats

STUDY QUESTIONS FOR NONOMIYA:

1) What explanation does the young woman give for coming to this shrine? What is Rokujô's real reason? Why is she ambivalent about returning?

2) What does Rokujô ask for from the priest?

3) How does this Rokujô feel about Genji? About Aoi no Ue?

4) What is the central conflict for Rokujo in Nonomiya? How is this different from Tale of Genji? Aoi no Ue?

5) Compare the imagery of carriages, Buddhist vehicles, Burning House. Are they used for the same reasons?

p. 213: "Still bitter at heart, I ride my carriage round and round. How long must I go on? Help me dispel, I pray, my wrongful clinging!"

6) Why do you think Rokujô is given so much sympathy and allowed to tell the story from her point of view? 

a. Buddhist influence?

b. Allegory?