Atsumori Commentary

Va Thao
Ms.Peifer
10 IB English
4 May 2009

"It was a pleasant sound, and all the pleasanter be-
cause one does not look for such music from men
of your condition. (50)
Unlooked for from men of our condition, you say!
Have you not read:
"Do not envy what is above you
Nor despise what is below you"?
Moreover the songs of woodmen and the flute- (55)
playing of herdsmen,
flute-playing even of reapers and songs of wood-
fellers
Through poets' verses are known to all the world.
Wonder not to hear among us. (60)
The sound of a bamboo flute.
You are right. Indeed it is as you have told me.
Songs of woodmen and flute-playing of herdsmen..." (Motokiyo 48-63)

Atsumori Commentary

In the play, Atsumori, Motokiyo's purpose is to show forgiveness and repentance, but in the passage on page 602 and lines 48 to 63, the purpose is to show an equal value in arts of different class men. Motokiyo achieved this through perspective and symbolism.

Motokiyo used the perspective of the two characters, Priest and Young Reaper, to accomplish his goal. An example of this is from what the priest said, "...all be the pleasanter be-/cause one does not look for such music from men of your condition." (Motokiyo 48-50). This expresses the perspective of the Priest. This reinforces the purpose of this passage because it shows that the Priest has doubt in the Reaper due to his class level. Another example from the mouth of the Young Reaper is, "'Do not envy what is above you/ Nor despise what is above you'?/ Moreover the songs of woodmen and the flute-/ playing of herdsmen," (Lines 53-55). This conveys the perspective of the Young Reaper. It also reinforces the purpose of this passage because the Reaper is basically showing tolerance and equality to both the lower and higher class men through telling the Priest to not hate what is higher or lower of him. It also even expresses that the work of any person are all considered equal due to how he includes the herdsmen and the woodmen as examples. One final example of Motokiyo's use of perspective to show equality is from the Young Reaper, "Flute-playing even of reapers and songs of wood-/ fellers/ Through poets' verses are known to all the world." (57-59). This shows the perspective of the Young Reaper again on how anyone of any class's work of art is equally known throughout the world. These are some examples that Motokiyo's use of perspective to express his purpose.

Another tool Motokiyo used to deliver his message of this passage is through the use of symbolism. An example o symbolism he used is, "cause one does not look for such music from men/ of your condition." (49-50). The "music" Motokiyo mentions here in the play would be understood as the melody played by the Reapers, but Motokiyo use it to symbolize any other work of art, either being poems, portraits, etc. This supports the purpose by not only saying that the equality is in music, but also in any other artwork. Another example is, "Moreover the songs of woodmen and the flute-/ playing of herdsmen,/ Flute-playing even of reapers and songs of wood-/ fellers" (55-58). The use of all these status are to express the variety of classes in society and their equality of the same work of art which is symbolised as "flute-playing". These are the examples of symbolism from Motokiyo's play, Atsumori.

As of conclusion, Motokiyo used perspective and symbolism to achieve his purpose in the play Atsumori. His purpose is to express the equality in artworks of different class men. This purpose only serves its terms under the passage on page 602, lines 48-63.

*NOTE: My computer cannot Underline the title of the play, Atsumori.