Alright, I know that I sound like the total dunce in the class but Aoi No Uye was so confusing to me. It was short and sweet but I when I was done I just found myself confused. I wasn't completely sure who was who and if the princess ever was cured...or if she had died and if she was the ghost. I was completely lost.
I'm curious about how much the translation is to blame for my confusion. If you all recall, I was also completely oblivious when we read The Trojan Women, which was also a translation. This seems to be a common theme with me. I'd be interested in knowing how everyone else overcomes this or if I'm the only one that is having a consistent problem.
1 comment:
I don't know if you read the on line script and, if so, if it has any background to the play with it. I bought a copy which explains that the prince Aoi No Uye married was busy finding other wives (an accepted and common practice). New wives would often be "jumped" and assaulted by the previous wife or wives. The ghost is that of Princess Rokujo (sp?), a previous wife. As Aoi No Uye lays ill, Princess R's spirit comes to end this "upstart" wife's life; hence the struggle between the "shaman" and the spirit. We'll probably cover this in class, but without that bit of background yes, it can be confusing. I'll let you see my book if you'd like. As odd to our aesthetic standards The King's Horseman was, this is NOT Western theatre or drama. We'll have to keep our minds wide open.
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