A Review of the Major Plays of Chikamatsu

Chikamatsu is often compared to Shakespeare. Although there are many differences in their writings, like Shakespeare, Chikamatsu has become known as a great playwright of the distant past. A major difference in their writings is that Shakespeare’s dramas revolve around nobles and important people in his society. Chikamatsu writes about the common people of his era and recent history. The author, Donald Keene, says that another big difference in their writing is that Chikamatsu mainly wrote for the puppet theater. The fantastic feats that his characters carry out are more believable when acted out by puppets rather than live actors like Shakespeare’s. “The special demands of this theater obliged Chikamatsu to

At the beginning of the second act Osan plays with her children while Jihei pretends to sleep. Magoemon arrives and informs Osan of a rumor that Jihei will ransom Koharu. This will free Koharu from the contract of prostitution. Jihei denies the rumor and Magoemon leaves. Jihei sobs underneath his blanket and tries to lie to Osan again. Osan is not fooled and confesses that she has written a letter to Koharu. She tells Jihei that she has scraped together one hundred and fifty gold coins by selling her best kimono and the children’s winter clothes to ransom Koharu. Gozaemon, Osan’s father, arrives and puts a stop to the ransom. He leaves with Osan and the money. Jihei is left with the two children. Osan’s suffering is a major part of the play.

Gonza is to perform the tea ceremony on behalf of Ichinoshin, a noble who is in Edo. He asks to see the family tea scrolls. Family members are normally the only people allowed to read the tea scrolls. Ichinoshin's wife, Osai, agrees on the condition that Gonza agrees to marry her 15-year old daughter. Gonza agrees to the marriage even though he is engaged to another woman.

The story is about Gonza who is a determined young samurai warrior. Gonza is very handsome and favored by women. Gonza must learn and practice the tea ceremony in order to advance as a samurai. It is a complicated social ritual. Gonza competes with another man for the privilege of performing the tea ceremony for the clan leader. The man that Gonza competes with is the brother of the woman he is engaged to.

This play by Chikamatsu was the first of the new type of domestic drama plays centering on the conflicts between human emotions and the severe restrictions and obligations of Japanese society. The great success of this play led to many more dramas on the tragic love affairs of merchants and courtesans.

In scene one Tokubei, a soy sauce dealer, was making the rounds of his customers and meets his mistress, Ohatsu, at the Ikutama Shrine in Osaka. Ohatsu is a prostitute. She is not happy because he has not been writing or visiting her. Tokubei replies that he has had some problems and he tells the whole story after she convinces him to. Tokubei's uncle, the owner of the soy sauce business, had asked him to marry his wife's niece. Tokubei refused because of his love for Ohatsu. Tokubei's stepmother agreed to the marriage behind his back and left with the large dowry. When Tokubei again refused the marriage, his angry uncle demanded the return of the dowry money. After he finally got the money back from his stepmother, Tokubei lent it to his good friend Kuheiji. Kuheiji is late paying it back. As Tokubei is explaining this to Ohatsu, drunken Kuheiji arrives at the shrine with a couple of friends. Kuheiji denies borrowing the money when Tokubei urges him to return the money and he and his friends beat up Tokubei. After Kuheiji left, Tokubei tells bystanders he is innocent and hints that he will kill himself to fix his problems.

Chikama

Some topics in this essay:
Donald Keene, Yari Gonza”, Takemotoza Theater, Tahei Magoemon, Temma House, Sonezaki Shinju”, Chikamatsu Chikamatsu’s, Osan Jihei, Sugimore Nobumori, Kuheiji Kuheiji, puppet theater, love suicides, tea ceremony, 1705 chikamatsu, “the love suicides, common people, gonza competes, scene tokubei, ransom koharu, soy sauce, “the love,