Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1725), often referred to as "Japan's Shakespeare" and a "god of writers," was arguably the most famous playwright in Japanese history and wrote more than 100 plays for the kabuki and bunraku theaters. Today the plays of this major literary figure are performed on kabuki and bunraku stages as well as in the modern theater, and forty-nine films of his plays have been made, thirty-one of them from the silent era.
In this volume Gerstle translates five plays - four histories and one contemporary piece - never before available in English that complement other collections of Chikamatsu's work, revealing new dimensions to the work of this great Japanese playwright and artist.
The latest collected works of Japan's most famous playwright, Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1725), runs to 17 volumes. Not quite so ambitious, C. Andrew Gerstle (Japanese studies, U. of London) chose five, translating from modern editions and drawing on annotations there to explain some of the allusions. He provides a long general introduction, introductions to each play, notes, and a glossary showing the Japanese original of his translated words. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
