Book contents
- The Cambridge History of Japanese Literature
- The Cambridge History of Japanese Literature
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Contributors
- Book part
- A note on Romanization and conventions
- Glossary
- General introduction
- Part I The ancient period (beginnings to 794)
- Part II The Heian period (794–1185)
- Part III The medieval period (1185–1600)
- 21 Introduction to medieval literature
- 22 Japanese poetic thought, from earliest times to the thirteenth century
- 23 Shinkokin wakashū: The New Anthology of Ancient and Modern Japanese Poetry
- 24 Waka in the medieval period: patterns of practice and patronage
- 25 Hyakunin isshuand the popularization of classical poetry
- 26 Medieval recluse literature: Saigyō, Chōmei, and Kenkō
- 27 Medieval women’s diaries: fromTamakiwarutoTakemukigaki
- 28 Setsuwa (anecdotal) literature:Nihon ryōikitoKokon chomonjū
- 29 The rise of medieval warrior tales:Hōgen monogatariandHeiji monogatari
- 30 The Tales of the Heike
- 31 The late medieval warrior tales: fromSoga monogataritoTaiheiki
- 32 Literature of medieval Zen temples: Gozan (Five Mountains) and Ikkyū Sōjun
- 33 Renga (linked verse)
- 34 Noh drama
- 35 Noh drama theory from Zeami to Zenchiku
- 36 Kyōgen: comic plays that turn medieval society upside down
- 37 Late medieval popular fiction and narrated genres: otogizōshi, kōwakamai, sekkyō, and ko-jōruri
- Part IV The Edo period (1600–1867)
- Part V The modern period (1868 to present)
- Bibliography of English secondary sources and translations
- Index
36 - Kyōgen: comic plays that turn medieval society upside down
from Part III - The medieval period (1185–1600)
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 January 2016
Book contents
- The Cambridge History of Japanese Literature
- The Cambridge History of Japanese Literature
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Contributors
- Book part
- A note on Romanization and conventions
- Glossary
- General introduction
- Part I The ancient period (beginnings to 794)
- Part II The Heian period (794–1185)
- Part III The medieval period (1185–1600)
- 21 Introduction to medieval literature
- 22 Japanese poetic thought, from earliest times to the thirteenth century
- 23 Shinkokin wakashū: The New Anthology of Ancient and Modern Japanese Poetry
- 24 Waka in the medieval period: patterns of practice and patronage
- 25 Hyakunin isshuand the popularization of classical poetry
- 26 Medieval recluse literature: Saigyō, Chōmei, and Kenkō
- 27 Medieval women’s diaries: fromTamakiwarutoTakemukigaki
- 28 Setsuwa (anecdotal) literature:Nihon ryōikitoKokon chomonjū
- 29 The rise of medieval warrior tales:Hōgen monogatariandHeiji monogatari
- 30 The Tales of the Heike
- 31 The late medieval warrior tales: fromSoga monogataritoTaiheiki
- 32 Literature of medieval Zen temples: Gozan (Five Mountains) and Ikkyū Sōjun
- 33 Renga (linked verse)
- 34 Noh drama
- 35 Noh drama theory from Zeami to Zenchiku
- 36 Kyōgen: comic plays that turn medieval society upside down
- 37 Late medieval popular fiction and narrated genres: otogizōshi, kōwakamai, sekkyō, and ko-jōruri
- Part IV The Edo period (1600–1867)
- Part V The modern period (1868 to present)
- Bibliography of English secondary sources and translations
- Index
Summary
Kyogen is Japan's classical comic theater, and also Japan's oldest dialogue-based drama. The earliest precursors to kyogen plays are thought to be irreverent skits performed along with court dances in the Nara and Heian periods. From the early 1400s Zeami and other leaders of noh troupes brought kyogen performers under their organizational umbrella, and kyogen plays have been performed as comic interludes between noh plays from that time until today. The most popular play in the current repertory, Delicious Poison, is one of the few for which one can identify an original literary source. As in the noh drama, kyogen developed many conventions of staging. The kyogen repertory stands as medieval Japan's secular and playful counterpart to the harsh, formal social values intended to govern the lives of Japanese. The core of much kyogen humor is in parody, which deconstructs and inverts specific texts or social types and norms. Kyogen maintained its traditional repertory and functions through World War II.
Keywords
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Cambridge History of Japanese Literature , pp. 347 - 354Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2015
- 1
- Cited by