著者

坂本(平敷) 尚子

出版者

日本演劇学会

雑誌

演劇学論集 日本演劇学会紀要 (ISSN:13482815)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.46, pp.5-23, 2008 (Released:2018-01-12)

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The house of man (Jinrui-kan, 1976) is a play written by an Okinawan author, CHINEN Seishin (1941-). The house of man is founded on historical facts of modern Okinawa; Osaka Exposition case (1903), a prohibition of using native Okinawan language (1879-), and the experience of ground war (1944-1945), etc. We find many tales and historical episodes in this play, there are even tragic. Additionally, the play is written in three kinds of languages; standard Japanese, Okinawan-Japanese called Uchina-Yamato-guchi that is spoken in modern Okinawa, and native Okinawan (Ryukyuan). It is sufficiently sensitive to Okinawa's dilemma.This paper illustrates characteristics of the play, and points out its critical opinions on discrimination and resistless people of Okinawa. Although the play could be interpreted as a tragedy, it may contain a good deal of humor, and appeal to the readers (or audience) all the more on account of it. The House of Man has been partly revised two times. The first revised edition (1978) gave a vivid representation of Okinawa of the day. And the second (2003) describes its recognition of separation of politics and the people of Okinawa. Anyway, CHINEN laughs away Okinawa's fears, and raises a question about passive obedience of Okinawa.