Chikamatsu Monzaemon

Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1725) was a Japanese playwright who wrote for both the puppet theatre and kabuki. He is regarded as Japan’s greatest dramatist. Apart from their aesthetic appeal, his plays are of value because they provide an insight into Japanese society in the Edo period (1603-1868).

The Social Setting

In the early Edo period, Japanese society changed a lot. The settled conditions following the establishment of Tokugawa rule led to the expansion of agriculture, rapid population growth and increased urbanisation at both the local and national level. Before 1600, Kyoto was the only large city in Japan. It was the capital and the home of both the imperial family and aristocratic cultural traditions. In the 17th century two new cities developed. In eastern Japan, Edo (modern-day Tokyo) served as the seat of government for the Tokugawa family and, as a political centre, it had a high warrior population. In western Japan, Osaka developed as a major commercial hub with a large merchant class. In the late 17th century, a new urban culture appeared in these three cities and this was reflected in the novels of Ihara Saikaku, the poetry of Matsuo Basho, and the plays of Chikamatsu Monzaemon. This cultural flowering is usually referred to as ‘Genroku culture’, although the Genroku period itself only lasted from 1688 to 1704. It largely coincided with the life and reign of the shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (1646-1709).

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