Jennifer M.

Yoo November 2010 Film & Theater With the Heart of a Human: An Analy i of the Nue a the Shite !eami" #or$ are %hara%teri&e' by a fine lyri%al en ibility( an' the Noh )lay Nue i no e*%e)tion. What i unu ual( ho#ever( i that it i )o$en throu+h the mouth

of a 'emon( the nue mon ter that +ive the )lay it name. ,y alterin+ the )er )e%tive an' narration of the ori+inal te*t foun' in the Tale of the Hei$e for hi Noh )lay a'a)tation Nue( !eami effe%tively et the au'ien%e u) to be ym)atheti% to#ar' the nue %reature an' allo# for it emotion to be%ome the %entral fo%u of the )lay. Thi %reate a very memorable %hara%ter out of the nue( #hi%h 'e )ite bein+ a 'emon e*hibit a %ertain humanne nue. The Noh )lay( Nue ta$e )la%e in the villa+e of A hiya in -ett u .rovin%e in , #here a travellin+ mon$( #ho )erform a the waki, on hi #ay to the /yoto %a)ital from /umano -hrine( a $ for lo'+in+ for the ni+ht. He i refu e'( but follo#in+ a villa+er" u++e tion 'e%i'e to tay at a mall tem)le built by a river. There( he meet a my teriou boatman( the mae-shite( #ho i loo$ li$e a lo+. After the boatman %onfe ailin+ #ithout oar in a 'u+out boat #hi%h e to the mon$ that he i a%tually the +ho t lain by ( allo#in+ the au'ien%e to %onne%t an' em)athi&e #ith the

of a mon trou %reature %alle' a nue( he tart to relate the tory of ho# he #a

the famou #arrior )oet from the Tale of the Hei$e( Minamoto no Yorima a. The +ho t of the nue then 'i a))ear on the river. When the mon$ hol' a ,u''hi t ritual for the )la%ation of the nues tormente' )irit( the nue" +ho t a))ear to e*)re +ratitu'e for

the mon$" )rayer ( but thi time in it true +ui e 0nochi-shite). After narratin+ for a

e%on' time the %ene of bein+ lain by Yorima a( the nue e*)re

e hi a )iration to

be ave' by ,u''hi t tea%hin+ an' 'i a))ear into the #ater( it ultimate fate left ambi+uou . 1n term of the five %ate+orie of Noh )lay 22+o' ( #arrior ( #omen( ma' %hara%ter ( an' 'emon 22Nue i %la ifie' in the 'emon %ate+ory be%au e the )rota+oni t in the )lay( the nue( i a mon trou ( u)ernatural %reature. A%%or'in+ to !eami( there are t#o tyle of 'emoni% role ( saido tyle an' rikido tyle. The 'emon in the saido tyle 3ha the form of a 'emon( but the heart of a human bein+. Neither bo'y nor min' i ve te' #ith for%efulne ( #hi%h ma$e the li+htne of the bo'y be%ome a

'efinin+ attribute.4 05uinn 2678 1n %ontra t( !eami tate that the rikido tyle 3ha the movement of for%efulne a it ub tan%e an' 'oe not have refinement.4 He 'efine

'emon )ortraye' in the rikido tyle a 3#ith the for%e( the form( an' the heart of a 'emon.4 05uinn 2678 Nue i a )lay #ith both saido an' rikido element . Thi i tron+ly in'i%ate' by

the ma $ u e' in the )lay. The ma $ )re %ribe' for the mae-shite in Nue i mikazuki 0lit. %re %ent moon8. Mikazuki belon+ to the %ate+ory of otoko 0male )irit 8. What i tri$in+

about thi ma $ i that althou+h it ha +ol'en2 rimme' eye ( #hi%h hint at the u)ernatural i'entity of the %hara%ter( it a))ear tran+ely human. With

the mikazuki ma $( the mae-shite 0nue) a))ear more li$e a human bein+ than a mon ter. Thi 'e)i%tion i %on+ruent #ith the saido element

'e %ribe' by !eami. The ma $ #orn by the nochishite 'urin+ the e%on' )art of the Nue )lay( in %ontra t( i $no#n a kotobide 0lit. mall tobide8. Ma $ imilar to kotobide have been u e' for thi

role( but all of them belon+ to the ame erie of ma $ $no#n a the tobide +rou). A %an be inferre' by the meanin+ behin' the kanji( #hi%h tran late a 39um)in+ out4( the name of the ma $ i in )ire' by the +o++le2eye' ima+e of the fa%e( an' are 'e i+ne' to re)re ent 'emon or +ho t . The +ol'en eye an' #i'e o)en mouth are meant to in'i%ate u)ernatural )o#er. -u%h ma $ 'eliver a 'emoni% tyle of for%efulne ( #hi%h i obviou ly the main %hara%teri ti% of the rikido tyle.

Ho#ever( in the %a e of the Nue )lay( !eami )ay more attention to the saido tyle than rikido. Thi i evi'ent in the overall nature of the nue. 1n )ite of bein+ a ub2 human mon ter( the )rota+oni t that !eami 'e)i%t ( the nue( i a entient bein+ #ith human2li$e emotion . Therefore the heart of the nue i not 'emoni% but human. Thi humanne i ultimately #hat lea' the au'ien%e to be%ome ym)atheti% to#ar' a

%reature #hi%h #a )ortraye' in it ori+inal te*t a a )urely malevolent bein+. 1n the )lay Nue, !eami %han+e' the main %hara%ter from Yorima a( #ho #a the main fo%u in the Tale of the Hei$e( to the nue( in or'er to ma$e the nue" emotion the fo%u of the )lay. !eami" alteration al o tran form the nue into the toryteller( #ho narrate hi o#n layin+ from hi o#n vie#)oint. Thi a'a)tation u%%e fully alter the

au'ien%e" e*)e%tation re+ar'in+ the ima+e of the nue. 1n the Tale of the Hei$e( the

tory of the nue i )rimarily )rovi'e' a a mean to ho#%a e Yorima a" +reat re)ute. A 'e %ribe' in the o)enin+ of the tory( 3Yorima a ha' )erforme' hi +reate t e*)loit 'urin+ the rei+n of ;m)eror /onoe(4 0Hei$e 1<18 an' then the narration of the tory of the nue i offere'. 1n %ontra t to the Nue )lay( the Tale of the Hei$e 'e %ribe ho# Minamoto no Yorima a hot 'o#n nue mon ter on t#o o%%a ion ( both out of the ni+ht $y over the royal )ala%e #here they ha' been hauntin+ ;m)eror /onoe an' Ni9o re )e%tively. Thi narrative tru%ture 'i tin%tly ho# that the tory i u e' by the narrator in or'er to 'emon trate Yorima a" +reat )ro#e both in military an' in )oeti%

'omain . 1n the Tale of the Hei$e( the )rota+oni t of the nue e)i o'e i %learly Yorima a( #hile the nue i treate' a no more than a mon ter that ha been 'oome' to be 'efeate' by Yorima a. =n the other han'( the only information the rea'er i )rovi'e' about the nue in the Tale of the Hei$e i that the %reature #a fri+htenin+ the em)eror every ni+ht( 3from the 'ire%tion of the Hi+a hi an9> #oo' (4 an' ha'( 3an un )ea$ably fear ome a))arition #ith a mon$ey" hea'( a ba'+er" bo'y( a na$e" tail an' a ti+er" le+ ( an' uttere' a %ry li$e that of the +ol'en mountain thru h.4 0Hei$e 1<18 The rea'er are not +iven any rea on #hy the nue tormente' the em)eror( nor it feelin+ or )a t. Therefore( in the Tale of the Hei$e( the nue i merely an ob9e%t #ithout any other ub tan%e. 1n !eami" Noh )lay( the nue i ma'e the )rota+oni t 0the shite8. The vie#)oint of the tory thu i rever e' to i'e #ith the nue( the vi%tim at #ho e e*)en e Yorima a built hi re)utation. Thi rever al +rant the nue a fiel' of emotion that human bein+ en9oy. The nue i no lon+er )re ente' a merely a tool to hi+hli+ht Yorima a"

+reatne )a

( but a a human2li$e %hara%ter %a)able of emotion. 1n the shite" entran%e

a+e 0issei8( the nue %hant : Kanashiki kana ya mi wa rocho kokoro o shireba moki no fuboku tada anchu ni mumoregi no saraba mumore mo hatezu shite boshin nani ni nokoruran Ukishizumu namida no nami no utsuobune Ho# a''ene' i my bo'y( tra))e' li$e a %a+e' bir'@ Ai$e the turtle( blin' my oul ee$ out here the 'riftin+ #oo'( but 'ee) in i+htle 'ar$ne the lo+ i burie' %oul' 1 be too 'ee) to ri e( for 1 %annot re t #hat 'ra# my trayin+ )irit till to lin+er onB Ah( ri in+( in$in+( mi' t the #ave of tear 1 he' +oe my 'u+out boat 2 Ya u'a ?162?20 in+ it a'ne an' ufferin+ after bein+

With the e #or' the nue i 'ire%tly e*)re

$ille' by Yorima a. !eami u e' meta)hor of 3%a+e' bir'4 an' 3blin' turtle4 to 'e %ribe the nue" mi ery. All the 'e %ri)tion above about the nue" ituation #ere by !eami(

#herea in the Tale of the Hei$e nothin+ about the nue #a mentione' after it #a $ille'( ave for the fa%t that it %ar%a #a )ut into a 'u+out %anoe an' %a t out to ea.

,et#een the referen%e to the t#o meta)hor ( the shite nue) %hant kokoro o shireba( 3be%au e 1 $no# my heart4. The kokoro o shireba referen%e %learly ho# that the nue i not an in entient %reature. !eami remin' hi au'ien%e that the nue i #ell a#are of #hat ha' ha))ene' to him. From thi )oint( the au'ien%e" im)re ion of the nue a an evil mon ter( the ima+e e tabli he' in the Tale of the Hei$e( may hift be%au e( in !eami" )lay( the em)ha i i on the mi ery an' hel)le ne of the %reature.

A i'e from the main %hara%ter bein+ #it%he'( the )lay al o ma$e u e of 'ifferent narrative )oint of vie# in re+ar' to the $illin+ of the nue! =ver the %our e of the )lay( the tory about ho# the nue #a $ille' by Yorima a i narrate' t#i%e.
C

Althou+h both of the t#o narrative are )erforme' by the shite 0the nue8( there are i+nifi%ant 'ifferen%e bet#een them. The fir t time ta$e )la%e imme'iately after the nue reDue t the mon$ 0the waki8 to )ray for it an' %onfe ,e%au e he tell hi e it real i'entity to him.

tory in the thir'2)er on )er )e%tive( the nue )erform a a 'ire%tly from the

toryteller( )artially remove' from the a%tion( narratin+ more or le

Tale of the Hei$e. ,y referrin+ to it elf at a 'i tan%e( the nue )rovi'e the au'ien%e #ith a more ob9e%tive )er )e%tive on the in%i'ent. What i tri$in+ about thi ( ho#ever( i

ho# ne+atively the nue 'e %ribe it elf 3beyon' all #or' ( a horri' i+ht i thi 'rea' form@4 0Ya u'a ?2<8 in'i%atin+ that the nue i not )rou' of bein+ a 'emon( an' may in fa%t be horrifie' #ith it o#n nature an' a))earan%e. 1n the e%on' )art of the )lay( the nue rea))ear ( but thi time in it true form E 3a 'emon2 )e%ter" form4 0Ya u'a ?:28 before the mon$. Thi time the nue i no lon+er referrin+ to it elf in the thir'2)er on. Throu+h thi e%on' narrative( !eami )rovi'e a

)otential %ounter2narrative to Yorima a" heroi% tale of the nue" 'emi e a 'e)i%te' in the Tale of the Hei$e. He al o )rovi'e a rea on for the nue" tormentin+ of the em)eror that #a a''re of the Hei$e. Sate mo ware akushin ged" no henge to natte bu##" "b" no sawari to naran to Truly 1 be%ame a 'emon #ith a hate2fille' heart( )ro#lin+ throu+h the helli h )ath#ay( ho)in+ that 1 mi+ht %orru)t the la# of the $in+ an' holy ,u''ha. 2 Ya u'a ?:: e' in neither the )lay" fir t narration of the event nor the Tale

1n the e #or' the rea on the nue tormente' the em)eror i reveale': be%au e the nue #ante' to 3%orru)t the la# of the $in+ an' holy ,u''ha.4 Here the nue effe%tively %onfe e hi inful a%t of tormentin+ the em)eror. ,y a'mittin+ hi +uilt a a hate2fille'
<

'emon bent on %orru)tin+ the ,u''hi t Aa#( the nue e*)re

e )eniten%e for hi )a t

a%tion . 1n a''ition( thi al o mar$ the earlie t in'i%ation that the nue may have on%e been human but fell 'o#n to the )ath of the 'emon( a a%%or'in+ to the -i* .ath of ,u''hi m. ,y ma$in+ the nue narrate the tory from it o#n )er )e%tive( !eami allo# for the %reature to he' it evil ima+e that lin+er from the Tale of the Hei$e. Then !eami arran+e for the nue to )re ent it 'eath a+ain to the au'ien%e from it o#n )er )e%tive( #hi%h ho# a 'i tin%t %ontra t #ith the ame %ene narrate' in the fir t half of the )lay. 1n the nue" narrative of it 'eath in .art 1( the )lay ay the follo#in+: $o##iki hy" to hanatsu ya ni tegotae shite hata to ataru etari ya Fully 'ra#n an' #ith a t#an+ relea e'( the arro# re )on'e' unto hi han' an' Duarely hit the mar$. 3There 1 hit it4 2 Ya u'a ?2C2?2<

Thi %ontra t #ith the later narration of the event in .art 2 of the )lay: $orimasa ga yasaki ni atareba henshin usete rakuraku rairai to chi ni taorete 1 #a 'ee)ly hit by Yorima a" arro# )ointF all 'i +ui in+ )o#er +one( %ra hin+ 'o#n#ar'( ma hin+ 'o#n#ar' u)on the earth 1 fell 'o#n 2 Ya u'a ?:?

A i'e from the #it%h of )er )e%tive from the $iller Yorima a( to the vi%tim( the nue( the shite" a%tion are al o 'ifferent. 1n the fir t narrative )a a+e( the shite a%t

the role of Yorima a by 3+e turin+ a thou+h he #ere hootin+ an arro#(4 an' then 3+a&in+ 'ee)ly into )a%e.4 0Ya u'a ?2C2?2<8 Ho#ever( in the e%on' )a a+e( the shite 3)ut the en' of the fan to hi %he t(4 #hi%h re)re ent the a%tion of bein+ hot by the arro#( an' 3 tri'e ba%$ to#ar' the shite eat( $neel ( an' turn him elf aroun' on

hi $nee(4 0Ya u'a ?:?8 #hi%h 'i tin%tly re)re ent the )ro%e to the +roun' from the $y.

of the nue fallin+ 'o#n

The i+nifi%ant 'ifferen%e bet#een the t#o narrative arou e the au'ien%e" em)athy to#ar' the nue an' it mi erable fate. !eami %ite nearly the entire ori+inal )a a+e from Tale of the Hei$e in the .art 1 narrative( #ith har'ly any a'a)tation . Hi to the ori+inal te*t %oul' be %on i'ere' hi #ay of %a tin+ the fir t tellin+ of

faithfulne

the nue tory in the )er )e%tive of Yorima a him elf. An' after )rovi'in+ the tale from the more tan'ar' an' familiar vie#)oint of Yorima a( #hi%h the au'ien%e i mo t li$ely more a%%u tome' to( !eami then %omment on it by )re entin+ hi o#n ver ion from the )er )e%tive of the nue( a een in .art 2. !eami thu alter the au'ien%e"

inter)retation of the literary our%e by fir t narratin+ Yorima a" +loriou trium)h in .art 1( only to )oint out the tar$ly %ontra tin+ ufferin+ of the nue in .art 2. ,y %han+in+ the main %hara%ter for hi )lay from Yorima a to the nue an' ma$in+ u e of t#o 'ifferent narrative )oint of vie#( !eami ha %reate' a %hara%ter that( 'e )ite not bein+ human( the au'ien%e truly ym)athi&e #ith an' i move' by it tra+i% )re'i%ament an' ufferin+ . What )erha) ma$e the tory of the nue all the more %om)ellin+ i ho# 'e )erately he #i he to be ave'. He 'oe not #i h to remain a 'emon. An' #ith the waki( the travellin+ mon$( )rayin+ for hi oul the nue %ome o

%lo e to attainin+ alvation( but one may ar+ue that #hether or not he u%%ee' i left ambi+uou . Ho#ever( the #or' in the en'in+ )a a+e heavily im)ly that he i un u%%e ful an' i for%e' to fall ba%$ into the #ater ( at the mer%y of the ri in+ an'

fallin+ of the ti'e on%e more. Aeft #ith thi final ima+e a the shite 'rift off ta+e( the

au'ien%e %annot hel) but )ray alon+ i'e the travellin+ mon$ an' ho)e that ome'ay the 'ar$ne #ill be illuminate' for the nue an' he #ill be +rante' alvation.

Cited Works M%Hullou+h( Helen H. %a&e of the 'eike. -tanfor': -tanfor' Iniver ity .re ( 1677.

5uinn( -helley F. (e)e&o#ing *eami+ the Noh ,ctors ,ttunement in -ractice! Ha#aii: Iniver ity of Ha#aii .re ( 200C. Ya u'a( /enneth. Masterworks of the No %heater. 1n'iana)oli : 1n'iana Iniver ity .re ( 1676.