Noh Drama

Japanese: 劇能 - げきのう

A classification of Noh. It is opposed to Furyu Noh. It refers to Noh that focuses on human psychology, conflict, and confrontation, as opposed to Furyu Noh, which focuses on theatrical entertainment. Although the opposite of Mugen Noh, Present Noh, was sometimes called Theatrical Noh, Mugen Noh = non-drama, and Present Noh = drama does not hold true. Although Mugen Noh does not fit the general concept of drama in which multiple people are in conflict, it can also be included in the category of drama in the sense that a certain person talks about their inner thoughts. In particular, many of Zeami's Mugen Noh, including "Izutsu," "Higaki," "Yorimasa," and "Tadatsune" (excluding waki-noh with a strong sense of elegance), are excellent plays that delve deeply into the inner world of humanity, and even in a brutal Noh like "Nue," the sadness of the defeated is captured in a human way.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

能の分類名。風流（ふりゆう）能と対立する。舞台的面白さに主眼を置く風流能に対し，人間の心理･葛藤･対立を中心に描いた能を指す。〈夢幻能〉に対する〈現在能〉を〈劇能〉と称したこともあったが，夢幻能＝非劇，現在能＝劇という図式が成り立つわけではない。複数の人間が対立しつつ展開する一般的な劇の概念からは外れるものの，ある人物の内面をその人自身が語るという意味で，夢幻能も〈劇〉に含むことができる。とくに，《井筒》《檜垣（ひがき）》《頼政》《忠度》をはじめとする世阿弥作の夢幻能の多く(風流性の強い脇能を除く)は，人間性の内面を深く掘り下げた優れた劇であり，《鵺（ぬえ）》のような鬼畜の能すらも，敗者の悲哀が人間的にとらえられている。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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