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Title: Chushingura by Donald Keene ISBN: 0-231-03531-4 Publisher: Columbia University Press Pub. Date: 15 April, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.50 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (2 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Keene¿s translation brings a puppet play to life
Comment: It is surprising that there is only one readily available (or at least affordable) translation of Chushingura, one of Japan's most famous puppet/kabuki plays, at amazon. We are fortunate then that Donald Keene's translation is that particular one, for it is a vivid, elegant work, serving as both an entertaining read and historical document.
After Tokugawa became Shogun in 1601, Japan entered a long period of regimented peace. The Samurai warrior-class were forced to adapt therein, trading their swords for the pen, and many of the classic traditions fell into stagnation. The old ways were taught, but seldom practiced: to excel in Tokugawa's bureaucracy, skill with the tongue was more important than skill with the sword...at least in the long run.
But occasionally the Samurai spirit rebelled. In 1703, forty-six former retainers of the late lord Naganori burst into the grounds of lord Yoshinaka, the man indirectly responsible for the death of their master; they killed Yoshinaka and then marched to a nearby Buddhist temple to offer the severed head to their master's grave. Even though they knew it would mean death by ritual seppuku (disembowelment), the ronin fulfilled their pledge to their master regardless, thus gaining 'face' through the performance of duty.
Chushingura, a fictionalized account of this famous vendetta, emphasizes these aspects of honor and loyalty: the forty-six ronin are determined to see their course through to its end, regardless of cost. And the cost is, in places, quite high. Some have their wives sold to prostitution so that they can finance their revenge operation. Others deny their wedding promises, knowing death rests upon their shoulders. One ronin engages in all sorts of debauchery, destroying his reputation and staining his family name, so that suspicion is allied and he can plot in peace. Sacrifice for honor is prevalent throughout the play, and from it one can glean all of the qualities the Japanese revere most in their national character and heritage.
Though Keen's translation a joy to read, there are some essential elements missing from this slender volume, thus my rating of four stars. Specifically, a discourse on the music used during the play performance (so key, apparently, in influencing the audience mood), is missing, with a paltry excuse given; and a chart of names would have been very helpful in establishing the relationships between characters. Still, this is a great buy for anyone interested in Japanese history and culture.
Rating: 4
Summary: A wonderful example of Japanese culture
Comment: Keene is an especially apt translator, making notes about puns, implications, etc... that do not translate well, in addition to notes about historical context. The play itself is a good read, and very interesting. It is important just due to its tremendous popularity and staying power in Japan. A must read for anyone with an interest in Japanese culture.
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Title: Musui's Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai by Katsu Kokichi, Craig Teruko ISBN: 0816512566 Publisher: University of Arizona Press Pub. Date: 01 July, 1991 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title: The Tale of the Heike by Helen C. McCullough ISBN: 0804718032 Publisher: Stanford University Press Pub. Date: 01 May, 1988 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, William Scott Wilson ISBN: 4770011067 Publisher: Kodansha International (JPN) Pub. Date: 01 January, 1992 List Price(USD): $9.00 |
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Title: Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu ISBN: 0679729534 Publisher: Vintage Books USA Pub. Date: 01 June, 1990 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Sources of Japanese Tradition: Volume 2 by Wm. Theodore De Bary, Donald Keene, George Tanabe, Paul Varley ISBN: 0231121393 Publisher: Columbia University Press Pub. Date: 15 April, 2002 List Price(USD): $25.50 |
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