Hagoromo: Dramatic Development

The pine tree at Mio.

Recently, I’ve begun writing a paper about Hagoromo, which I will be submitting for my application to the master’s program at the University of Tokyo. A lot of what I’ve written will be revised multiple times, especially when I translate it in Japanese, before I hand it in.  Following is just one section of my paper.  I would love everyone’s feedback on my ideas.

In this section, I’m writing about standard plot and character development patterns.  I have never written about this before, so please correct me if any of my statements are oversimplified or plainly wrong.

Dramatic development in Hagoromo

A plot is often described as having a standard structure.  I would like to consider Freyman’s 19th century description of classical European dramatic structure, as it seems to be a widely adopted model in discussing not only classical theater, but narrative in general as well.  Freyman’s analysis was derived from Greek tragedy and from Shakespeare, so I do not intend to force Hagoromo into the model he proposes.  Bear with me, and I will draw a comparison between Freyman’s dramatic structure and Hagoromo’s structure.

Freyman takes in consideration the standard five act play.  Each act develops the plot differently.  The first act, called the exposition, introduces the characters, the setting, and the basic conflict.  The second act, called the rising action, develops the conflict with rising tension.  The third act is that of the climax, in which a change happens to improve (in comedy) or worsen (in tragedy) the situation.  The fourth act, the falling action, the effects of the climax become clear.  The fifth act, the denouement, brings closure to the play, either ending happily (in comedy) or in catastrophe (in tragedy).

Hagoromo in 2010

A recital performance at the Kongo Noh Theater in Kyoto.  My teacher, Udaka Michishige, is the chorus leader just below my fan.

A long time ago on Mio cape, near present day Shizuoka, a man of low birth is cursed with the bad karma from taking the lives of animals for a living.  He is a fisherman in this life, but his name indicates a more glorious past.  White Dragon.

In the ancient Chinese collection of stories, “Garden of Tales” from the 1st century BC, is a story an adviser tells the king as a warning not to take on the guise of one of his own subjects.  The adviser tells about a white dragon who turned himself into a fish and lived in a pond on earth until one day a fisherman shot him in the eye with an arrow.  The dragon flew away to the king of heaven to complain, but the king of heaven replied that fishermen shoot fish for a living and there was nothing he could do.

And so, it is said by some that the dragon died and was reborn, this time as the object of his hatred, the fisherman.  Of course, the fisherman has no knowledge of his past life as a dragon and lives in ignorance of a greater good, except for a strange affinity for natural beauty.   This is the point in the story from which the play “Hagoromo” begins.

Hagoromo

My second Noh performance

On February 4, I had my second Noh performance. Sensei had rented the Noh stage at Iori, where I work, for a day of private recitals by his professional students – a sort of master’s class, in which Sensei gave feedback following each performance. I was invited to perform the kuse shimai of Hagoromo although I am far from being a professional.