著者

徳永 哲

出版者

九州大学

雑誌

Comparatio (ISSN:13474286)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.8, pp.xvii-xxv, 2004

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In 1915, W.B.Yeats had a chance to read some scripts of Noh theatre that Fenollosa and Pound had translated into Japanese, and in 1916, he wrote in 'Note on the first performance of At the Hawk's Well'. "I have found my first model - and in literature if we would not be parvenus we must have a model - in 'Noh' stage of aristocratic Japan." What is the meaning of "a model" that he writes in the essay? It is evident that he did not imitate the Noh scripts. He had been seeking for the ideal theatre or 'Poetic Drama' for many years before he met the Noh scripts. He tried to realize "the emotion that comes with music of words" and "the moment of exaltation, of excitement of dreaming" on the stage. But creation of 'Poetic Drama' without example was extremely difficult. He took Gordon Craig's advices and he tried to use 'Screen' on the stage and made the actors wear 'Mask'. Although he tried to do different things to create 'Poetic Drama', he was not satisfied with the results. His encounters with the Noh scripts, Fenollsa's essays and Michio Ito solved his difficult problems. He learned totally new forms from the Noh theatre, including actor's movements, existence of musicians and Japanese dancing. The process of groping for his 'Poetic Drama' from 1889, brought him to make At the Hawk's Well. I believe that W.B.Yeats could complete his 'Poetic Drama' in the Noh-inspired At the Hawk's Well.