Noh Play from Japan:

The Damask Drum

 What is a Noh Play?

 Noh is a Sino-Japanese which means “skill” or

“talent”

 A Classical Japanese drama performed since the 14th

century

 Usually presented outdoors

 Characters in a Noh Play

 They are masked.

 Has only 3-4 characters, performed by men

 Main character appears in human form, ghost or

even both.

 Secondary character introduces the play

 Music in a Noh Play

 Supplied by a flute player and about three drummers

 Most actions in a Noh play is symbolic.
The Damask Drum
Seami Motokiyo
Translated by Arthur Waley
 CHARACTERS:

 Gardener SINCERITY

TRUE LOVE

TRICKERY
 Princess
WICKEDNESS

LOYALTY
 Courtier
COWARDICE
FORMING COMPOUNDS
 Compound words are formed when two
words (usually an adjective and a noun) are
joined to create a new word.
Ways on writing a compound word:

 As one word
watchmen dewdrops

 As hyphenated word
course-woven ground-shaking

 As two separate words

demon mask fire tree
 Exercise

Look for a word that can pair with the given word to
form a compound.

1. flower ____________
2. news ____________
3. lady ____________
4. eye ____________
5. hand ____________
6. rain ___________
7. police ___________
8. town ___________
9. nation __________
10. silver __________
 Comprehension Check

1. What task did the princess give to the gardener to

give him a chance to see her?

2. How did the gardener feel upon hearing this

conditional statement from the princess?

3. Did the gardener do as the princess had said?

4. What did the gardener find out? Was it easy to make
the drum sound?

5. How did the gardener feel after discovering how the

princess had tricked him?

6. In despair, what did the gardener do?

7. What happened to the princess after the death of
the gardener?

8. How will you describe the ending of the story? Do

you agree with the way that the story has ended?
Why or why not?
 Values Appreciation

1. The princess said, “Love’s equal realm knows no

division.” What did the princess mean by that? Did
she really mean what she said? Explain your
answer.

2. How can someone show that love’s equal realm

really knows no divisions?
 Homework:

Create a poem as a response to the story, The

Damask Drum, using compound words.