Shoichiro Kawai, "Shakespeare: Master of the Theatre of Life" Summary and Comments - A recommended introduction to the life and historical background of the master and the characteristics of his works!
We are pleased to present "Shakespeare: Master of the Theatre of Life," published by Chuo Koron Shinsha in 2016.
Let's take a quick look at the book.
William Shakespeare (1564~1616) is perhaps the world's best-known literary figure. His masterpieces such as "Macbeth" and "Hamlet" have been read and performed all over the world. This book provides an insight into the turbulent times in which he lived, his life and style, and the ideas that run deep within his works. His works, which are often referred to as having "ten thousand hearts," reflect human beings through their joys, sorrows, and pleasures. From his works, we can also glean a philosophy of life that is relevant today.
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This work is a recommended introduction to Shakespeare's life, historical background, and the characteristics of his works.
The author, Dr. Shoichiro Kawai, has been on our blog before.Shoichiro Kawai, "Shakespeare's Identity" - A masterful book that uses historical background and careful reading of documents to confront unorthodox theories and conspiracy theories head-on!article.
By Peter Ackroyd, who has also been featured in other articles on this blog.A Biography of Shakespeare."and Steven GreenblattShakespeare's Amazing Success Story."ShakespeareTimon of Athens."He has also worked on translations such as
All of Mr. Kawai's writings are interesting and I have used them as a reference in my study of Shakespeare.
This book, in which Shoichiro Kawai talks about Shakespeare in a new book, is a very gratifying work, coupled with its ease of accessibility.
In the preface, he also discusses the situation of Shakespeare's plays in Japan as follows.
William Shakespeare was a poet and playwright 400 years ago. Despite this, his plays are still frequently performed today and are featured in a variety of genres, including opera, ballet, music, and art. What kind of person is Shakespeare? And what can we learn from his works?
This book, a retrospective of Shakespeare's life, aims to reveal the playwright's spiritual world as it emerges throughout his works.
The home of Shakespearean drama performance was England, and the Royal Shakespeare Company, based in his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, was considered the most prestigious performing company until the late nineteenth century. But times have changed.
Directed by Yukio Ninagawa and starring Kotaro Yoshida in 2006Titus Andronicus."（The play was performed at the Royal Shakespeare Company's main theater to great acclaim (also starring Shun Oguri, Shingo Tsurumi, Haruhiko Yang, Rei Asami, Hitomi Manaka, and others), and the time has come when we can proudly say that Shakespeare from Japan has triumphed.
Of course, Ninagawa's Shakespeare productions had been successfully performed in the UK before. （But the fact that Kotaro Yoshida went on a rampage not in London, but at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company, was still a landmark event. Shakespeare is no longer just the property of the British, but also of the Japanese, and is now regarded as the property of theater people around the world.
Chuokoron Shinsha, Shoichiro Kawai, Shakespeare: Master of the Theater of Life, p. ii-ii
It is nice to see that we are in a wonderful time when Japanese Shakespearean plays are being recognized worldwide, as discussed here.
I also took over for Yukio Ninagawa in the Sai-No-Kuni Shakespeare series directed by Kotaro Yoshida.King John"to see the play in January.
Shakespeare is the best to actually see on stage. It's just so funny!
Just as Yukio Ninagawa did, Kotaro Yoshida will show us a Shakespeare that anyone can enjoy. Shakespeare may give you an image of being a little difficult, but when you actually see the play, you will find that your preconceived notions will be blown away. When Shakespeare was alive, people from all walks of life gathered at his playhouses and laughed together. It was Shakespeare that could be enjoyed in such an easygoing manner.
It is gratifying to be able to see such Shakespeare's works in Japan in a quality that is recognized worldwide.
Dr. Kawai goes on to describe the book as follows
While there is no way to know the appeal of an individual performance without actually going to the theater to experience it, the best way to learn who Shakespeare was and what he portrayed in his works as a whole is to look into his books. The aim of this book is to clarify this.
To do so, we must begin by returning to Shakespeare's time. Therefore, in chapters 1 through 3, we will give an overview of Shakespeare's character through the ages. You will see that one of the reasons why it is difficult to understand Shakespeare's personality is sought in the historical background.
In Chapter 4, we will introduce the fascinating world of Shakespeare's plays. In particular, we will reveal the "Shakespearean magic" that you may not notice when watching the plays.
Chapter 5 describes the world of comedy, and Chapter 6 the world of tragedy.
Then, as a final chapter, let us summarize Shakespeare's philosophy. How do Shakespeare's thoughtful questions, such as "How should one live? How should we recognize the subject "I"? When you understand Shakespeare, you will realize that there is more than one way to look at things.
It is said that Shakespeare is a "myriad-minded Shakespeare," meaning that his works contain so many different ways of looking at things that they appeal to the hearts of many people. It is sometimes said that Shakespeare's own true feelings are hidden behind many masks.
However, Shakespeare would say that what is important is what masks we wear to play various roles in the theater of life, and that no one knows the "true me" behind the masks. Therefore, you may encounter an "I" that even you do not know - if you have studied Shakespeare's philosophy.
Chuokoron Shinsha, Shoichiro Kawai, Shakespeare: Master of the Theater of Life, p. iiii-iv.
This book will give you an insight into Shakespeare's life and historical background. After all, if you know the historical background, you will see his works differently. And don't miss chapter 4, "Shakespeare's Magic. The secret of Shakespeare's fun is revealed here. If you read this book, you will be surprised to find yourself saying "I see...! You will definitely want to hit your knees and say, "I see!
If you have never read Shakespeare before, this is a great place to start. It will surely make you want to read Shakespeare's works.
We encourage you to pick up a copy.
This is "Shoichiro Kawai's "Shakespeare: Master of the Theatre of Life" - A recommended introduction to the life and historical background of the master and the characteristics of his works! The above is "Shoichiro Kawai, Master of Shakespeare's Life Theatre.
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