ABSTRACT

This is a selection of the best plays of Chikamatsu, one of the greatest Japanese dramatists. Master of the marionette and popular dramas, he had, until the publication of this book, remained unknown to western readers owing to the difficulty of translating the work into English. The introduction provides a comprehensive survey of the history of Japanese drama which will assist the reader in better understanding the plays.

 

part |1 pages

INTRODUCTION

chapter I|4 pages

LITERATURE AND THE POPULACE IN OLD JAPAN

part II|1 pages

THE ORIGIN OF THE JAPANESE DRAMA AND ITS VARIETIES

chapter III|7 pages

THE YŌKYOKU OR NŌ PLAYS