Aristotle's Poetics and Zeami's Teachings on Style and the Flower

Abstract

Two great classic theatres of East and West, Japanese no and Greek tragedy, are said to share common characteristics and elementsuse of masks, the presence of a chorus, universality of themes, and a profound understanding of the human psyche. On a deeper level one can point to both societies being polytheistic and both theatre forms having ritualistic origins. At the same time there are major differences between the two forms: spectacular productions, sweeping stone amphitheatres, and vast public audiences in Greece and small-cast performances, simple wooden stages, and invited court audiences in Japan. They are almost two millennia apart in time. This is not the place to compare the multitude of similarities and differences between the two forms, however. Here I wish to analyze key concepts that appear in Aristotle's Poetics (Aristotle 1974) and Zeami Motokiyo's Teachings on Style and the Flower (Fushikaden) (Zeami 1984a)two superb theatrical treatises to which we owe much of our knowledge of tragedy and no. Each deals comprehensively and conclusively with the theory of the art form, and each has exerted profound influence upon later generations. I want to compare the two authors' works in terms of imitation, play structure, effects, and definition of success, while taking into account the different perceptions held by people in the cultures whom Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) and Zeami (1363-1443) represented.