Amaterasu
The importance of theater in Japan is not only ritualistic
but also political. Theater is ritualistic as I’ve discussed previously,
because of Queen Himiko’s ability to bring Amaterasu back to the people as a
representation of the shaman’s and theatrical performance’s role as a bridge
between the celestial and the earthly. However, it is also important to note
that the emperor of Japan was believed to be a direct descendent from the
Goddess Amaterasu. Because of this link, theatrical arts in Japan must also be
linked with the affirmation of the legitimacy of the emperor.
I find this very interesting because it is smart political positioning
in the part of the first schools of theater. Not only did theater represent
ritualistic and didactic elements in its being but also it became an
indispensable token of the emperor’s right to rule.
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