YAOYA NO KONDATE (original) (raw)

History

"Yaoya no Kondate" was based on the real story of the greengrocer Hanb� and his wife Ochiyo, who committed their shinj� in �saka the 3rd (or the 5th day?) of the 4th lunar month of 1722 [1] on the eve of the K�shin festival. There was a great stir in �saka because of this sad event and the playwright Ki-no-Kaion immediately adapted it to the puppet theater. His play was entitled "Shinj� Futatsu Haraobi" and it was staged from the 6th of 4th lunar month of 1722 [2] at the Toyotakeza. Ki-no-Kaion's rival Chikamatsu Monzaemon wrote his own version, which was entitled "Shinj� Yoi G�shin" and was staged from the 22nd of the 4th lunar month of 1722 [3] at the Takemotoza. The first Kabuki adapatations were produced at the end of the 4th lunar month of 1722 in Ky�to and in the 8th lunar month of 1722 in Edo. The play in Ky�to was entitled "Yaoya Shinj�" and the roles of Ochiyo and Hanb� were played by Segawa Kikunoj� I and Iwai Hanshir� III. The play in Edo was entitled "Hana M�sen Futatsu Haraobi" and the roles of Ochiyo and Hanb� were played by Arashi Wakano I and Nakamura Shichisabur� II.

The story of Hanb� and Ochiyo was sad and dark and the role of Hanb�'s step-mother Okuma was the one of an evil old woman. In 1788, Namiki Gohei I wrote a new version of the story of Ochiyo and Hanb� and decided to turn Okuma into a comical role, performed by a sanmaime. This drama was entitled "Sewa Ry�ri Yaoya Kondate" and was staged in the 3rd lunar month of 1788 in �saka at the Kado no Shibai [more details]. Later on, it was revised by Ichioka Washichi I. Nowadays, this play is rarely staged.

Summary

Tarob�, a friend of the late father of Hanb�, a greengrocer, comes to Hanb�'s house with Hanb�'s wife Ochiyo, who has been expelled by Hanb�'s step-mother Okuma, to ask her to re-accept Ochiyo. Strange to say, Okuma welcomes her back, lavishing flattery on her. Before taking Tarob� to another room to offer him a supper, however, she warns Hanb� in a low voice never to forget what she has told him to do. Unaware of Okuma's remark, Ochiyo says to Hanb� that she is very glad to be reunited with him.

Hanb�'s elder brother J�z�, a samurai, who happens to be visiting the house, tells Hanb� never to divorce Ochiyo. Hanb� agrees, but when Okuma comes again to tell him that she has a sharpened kitchen knife in case he does not obey him, he sternly tells Ochiyo that he divorces her. J�z� scolds Hanb� and beats him with a fan. Okuma, showing her true colors, tells Hanb� not to listen to J�z� and beats Hanb� and Ochiyo with a broom. Hanb�'s late father's nephew Kaj�r� comes out of an inner room and, taking the broom from Okuma, beats her with it. He says Okuma was picked up as a beggar by Hanb�'s late father, who was then a widower, and, while working as a maid servant for him, seduced him to become his second wife.

Furious with rage, Okuma leaves the room but she has yet another scheme to have her own way. She reappears in her undergarment, carrying a straw mat on her back and holding a rice bowl and chopsticks in her hands. She says she will go begging, telling people all over �saka that she was driven from her home by her heartless step-son. Hanb� is thus forced to write a letter of divorce. J�z� proposes to take Ochiyo with him. Before leaving, he hands his sword to Hanb�, tacitly advising him to commit suicide in token of apology to his late father and Ochiyo's parents.

After Ochiyo and J�z� have gone, Okuma begins to make amicable advances to Hanb� but is interrupted when Santar�, an apprentice, comes to tell her that Tarob� is calling her. Left alone, Hanb� tries to kill himself when Ochiyo returns home to tell him that she will die together with him. Okuma comes back in a night gown, carrying a pillow and a quiet, to ask Hanb� to sleep with her. Tarob� blows out the light to help clamber and Ochiyo slip out of the house. Okuma catches hold of Tarob� in the dark, taking him for Hanb�.

Text written by Hironaga Sh�zabur�