Chikamatsu Monzaemon | |
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| Born | Sugimori Nobumori 1653 |
| Died | January 6, 1724 (aged 70–71)[1] |
Chikamatsu Monzaemon (近松 門左衛門, real name Sugimori Nobumori, 杉森 信盛, 1653 – 6 January 1725) was a Japanese dramatist of jōruri, the form of puppet theater that later came to be known as bunraku, and the live-actor drama, kabuki. The Encyclopædia Britannica has written that he is "widely regarded as the greatest Japanese dramatist".[2] His most famous plays deal with double-suicides of honor bound lovers. Of his puppet plays, around 70 are jidaimono (時代物) (historical romances) and 24 are sewamono (世話物) (domestic tragedies). The domestic plays are today considered the core of his artistic achievement, particularly works such as The Courier for Hell (1711) and The Love Suicides at Amijima (1721). His histories are viewed less positively, though The Battles of Coxinga (1715) remains praised.
- ^ Kamikaji, Ai (2003). "Review of Chikamatsu: Five Late Plays". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 66 (3): 520–522. ISSN 0041-977X. "[...] all the reliable sources I have found in Japan clearly state that Chikamatsu died in 1724, even while quoting the playwright's age at death as 72. In traditional Japanese calculations of age, a new born baby is one year old in its first year of life with a year added to its age every New Year's Day. Therefore, I feel that perhaps it should be explained that in terms of the Gregorian calendar Chikamatsu died aged 71 in 1724."
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