Dramatic Representations of Filial Piety

Cornell University Press, 1998

This volume of five noh translations (containing an introduction, translations, short commentaries and a glossary) differs from most others in that none of the plays are of the mugenno type, but are instead genzaino, real-life noh. The plays focus on living characters rather than spirits or ghosts, and on dramatic action rather than poetry, song and dance. In addition, the five noh satisfy several of the most important features of Aristotle's definition of good tragedy. That is, they all have plot, which Aristotle says in his Poetics is the imitation of action.