Tsubouchi Shoyo

A great pioneer of modern Japanese culture, who made revolutionary achievements in the various fields of literature, drama, dance, children's plays, fine arts, education, etc., during the period 1880-1935. In the field of literature, Shoyo published Shosetsu Shizui (The Essence of the Novel) and the novel Tosei Shosei Katagi (The Character of Today's Students) at the age of 27. These works made him a pioneer of the modern realistic novel. In drama, Shoyo studied Shakespeare and Chikamatsu, published a critical work on historical drama called Wagakuni no Shigeki in 1893 and the play Kiri Hitoha in 1894, and thus established the genre of New Kabuki. In addition, he was a proponent of the "Shingeki" Movement, a leader of the Society of Literature and Art, and the founder and president of the Theatre Research Institute. He trained actors and actresses of a new age and produced the plays of Shakespeare, Ibsen, etc., which led to the rise of Shingeki. Shoyo also published a critical work on dance called Shin Gakugeki Ron and the play Shinkyoku Urashima, aiming at the establishment of a new national theatrical dance. Shoyo the professor founded the department of literature at Tokyo Senmon Gakko (now Waseda University) and started the literary review Waseda Bungaku. Later on, he became the vice-principal and then the principal of Waseda Junior High School. At that time he edited a new type of textbook, devoting himself to "moral education." Furthermore, Shoyo advocated and practised children's plays and pageants, studied the history of Kabuki, "Shibaie," and the modem theatre, and later in his life, wrote poetry. Shoyo studied Shakespeare all through his lifTe. He published Jiyutachi Nagori no Kireaji (a translation of Julius Caesar) in 1884, and by l928 he had translated all of Shakespeare's works (the first complete translation in Japan). The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of Waseda University is a memorial to this work. The goal of these various activities of Shoyo's was to modernise Japanese culture. He had consistent principles all through his life: revolt and create; theorise and practice; hamonise Eastem and Westem cultures; enlighten the public; do on your own what no one else has done yet. When he published the new translated version of collected works of Shakespeare in 1935 at the age of 77, Shoyo said, looking back on his own achievements, "Only this have I brought to fruition; everything else I have done is merely a seedling planted in the ground." Those seedlings, however, have been raised lovingly by Shoyo's successors, spreading beautiful branches and leaves.

Shoyo Tsubouchi in Atami

In 1879 Shoyo visited Atami for the first time. After that, he often stayed there, and in 1912 he built a cottage in Arajuku. In 1920, he built Soushisha (a new cottage) in Iri-mura (now Minaguchi-machi,in Atami-city) and lived there for the rest of his lifTe, enjoying research work, creative activities, and an aesthetic life.

Translation

At first Shovo translated novels (Shumpu Jowa. etc.) and later began translatingthe plays of Shakespeare, Shaw, etc. His aim was to bring them to the stage inorder to improve the national theatre. Shoyo's translations were, therefore, written in free verse, including archaic words, modem words, dialectal words and Chinese words.

Ethic Education

Shoyo, being conscious that teaching was his main occupation, devoted himself to the moral education of youth while he was the vice-principal and then the principal of Waseda Junior High School during the period of 1896-1903. He edited many textbooks such as Tsuzoku Rinri Dan.

Theatre Research

Shoyo's achievements include a variety of researches on the theatre: the study on Chikamatsu' and Nanboku's works; the research on "Nishikie" as anapproach to Kabuki; the introduction of Ibsen; the comparison of Eastern and Western theatres. Shakespeare Kenkyu Shiori was the fruition of Shoyo's research on Shakespeare.

Plays for Children

Shoyo strongly felt that the conventional children's play had been merely for amusement and lacked educational elements. Therefore, in 1923 Shoyo advocated childrenls plays performed by and for children themselves, wrote many plays, and gave perfTormances in various places, aiming at making art familiar to each family.

Buyo

Shoyo earnestly studied Wagner, aiming at. the establislment of the modem national theatrical dance based on the music and dance of Japanese classical drama. In 1904 he published Shin Gakugeki Ron and Shinkyoku Urashima, and thereafter he wrote many plays, contributing to the development of "Shin Buyo."

Bungei Kyokai (Society of Literature and Art)

An organisation led by Shoyo for theatre research and performance. In 1909 Shoyo founded the Theatre Research Institute, training actors and actresses of a new age. (Matsui Sumako and Sawada Shojiro were among them.) After 12 years, Shoyo produced Hamlet, A Doll's House, etc., leading the Shingeki Movement.

Dramaturgy

since 1888 Shoyo had studied Shakespeare an (chikamatsu, aiming at a revolution in the field of drama. After 1894 he published the new historical drama Kiri Hitoha and new Kabuki plays such as Hototogisu Kojo no Rakugetsu. He also wrote themodern drama En no Gyoja, the comedy Kinsei Kijin Den, the translated play Reigen, etc.

Literary Works

Although Shoyo admired Takizawa Bakin in his boyhood, after he came to Tokyo and got in touch with western culture, he criticised Bakinls moralism. Then he advocated realism, objectivity and psychologism in the novel, and in 1885 he published Shosetsu Shinzui and the novel Tosei Shosei Katagi, paving the way for the modern novel.

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