Movement in Stillness: A Comparative Study of Japanese Noh Theatre and Shakespearean Theatre
Date
2007
Authors
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Publisher
Department of English
Abstract
Audience must take active participation in the play i.e. physical as well as mental
presence of audience. Both the Japanese Noh theatre and the Shakespearean theatre
contain similar dramatic devices such as soliloquy, music, chorus and narration in
general and they are vividly prevalent inMacbethandTomoein particular. These devices
create ‘movement in stillness’ in both plays. The ‘movement in stillness’ means even in
the absence of physical movement, the heart and the mindof the actors work to the full
capacity, and the play takes place in the mind of audience. At that time, no outward
visual movement takes place on the stage, though the play goes on developing. The
‘movement in stillness’ serves didactic pattern in the Noh theatre i.e. Noh theatre wants
to teach something via movement in stillness. On the other hand, the movement in
stillness leads to aesthetic pattern in Shakespearean theatre. It means Shakespeare
expresses beauty that gets unfurled through ‘movement in stillness.’ Therefore,
‘movement in stillness’ serves didactic pattern in the Japanese theatre whereas aesthetic
pattern in the Shakespearean theatre.
Description
Keywords
Japanese play, Dramatic devices, Shakespearean theatre