NWnoh&Kyogen

Among the Noh plays you have read, select one that appeals to you the most and discuss why you are drawn to it above all the other works. You may wish to refer to the video illustrations of the excerpts of the plays that we saw in class, as well as the scripts to compose your answer.

I have found the Noh plays to be very interesting and very beautiful. The poetry of the scripts and the very hypnotic make these plays stunning performances in the theatre. Among the noh plays, Takasago, the God play, is my by far my favorite. The connection of the trees represented by the old couple and the elegance of their interaction as well as the depiction of the solo god in the second half of the play. The poetry in the words creates a feeling matched by the images that it leaves in your mind as you read. The Old Man and Old Woman that represent the two gods that are connected to the trees that are believed to be paired. The poetry spoken by the couple in conversation with the priest shows a connection that is compared to the lasting green of the trees. The image created by their words strikes me as very strong, ancient, and loving. One such image is crafted perfectly on pages 285 and 286 of the script. Connecting the people and the culture to the beauty of the earth resonates very strongly in this piece and I really enjoy that. As the couple departs from the priest they say that he should meet them at the other pine. When the priest arrives at the other pine we see that the two spirits are now one. This again creates this image of connection that is so powerful when I read this piece. This piece stands out far beyond the others to me because of the lasting images it created for me as I read.

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