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Ridikulus Revised RIDIKULUS! A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ROMAN COMEDY AND KY ŌGEN THROUGH THEIR TECHNIQUES OF FEAR-ALLEVIATION A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities 2013 KIRSTY M JENKINS SCHOOL OF ARTS, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES 2 CONTENTS Abstract …………………………………………………………………..... 8 Declaration ………………………………………………………………… 9 Copyright Statement ………………………………………………………. 9-10 Acknowledgments ………………………………………………………. 11 Preface ……………………………………………………………………. 12 Introduction ………………………………………………………………... 13-36 i) Why Compare Roman comedy with Ky ōgen ……………………….. 17-20 ii) Comparable Criteria ……………………………………………........ 20-21 iii) Core Questions ………………………………………………........... 21-26 1) and 2) Masters, Slaves and Servants ………………………........... 22-24 3) Gods and the Supernatural ……………………………….............. 24 4) Disease and Disability …………………………………………….. 24-25 5) Religious and Military Authorities ………………………………… 25-26 6) Wives ………………………………………………………………. 26 iv) Methodology …………………………………………………………... 26-27 v) Texts Used ……………………………………………………………… 28-29 vi) What is Ky ōgen ……………………………………………………….. 29-34 3 vii) Phonetical Notation ………………………………………………...... 34-36 Chapter 1: Fear of Authority: Humiliating the Masters …………………. 37-67 Introduction ……………………………………………………………….. 37-40 i) Alleviating authority Fears …………………………………………....... 40-57 a) Trickery vs. Gullibility …………………………………………........ 40-45 b) Boasting …………………………………………………………....... 45-48 c) Saturnalian Licence …………………………………………………. 48-50 d) Torture Jokes and Punning ………………………………………….. 50-57 ii) Restoration of the Norms …………………………………………........ 57-60 iii) Non-Conformist Tricky Slaves/Servants …………………………........ 60-66 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………........ 66-67 Chapter 2: The Other Side of the Coin …………………………………….. 68-105 Introduction ………………………………………………………………... 68-71 i) How Tricky Slaves/Servants Increase Anxieties in their Masters ………. 71-72 ii) Potential Means of Reducing Authority’s Anxieties …………………… 72-77 a) Acting for Others ……………………………………………………. 73-74 b) Reassertion of Authority ……………………………………………. 74-75 c) The Device of the Loyal and/or Stupid Slave ……………………….. 75 d) Punishment …………………………………………………………. 75-77 4 iii) Degrees and Categories of Loyalty and Stupidity ……………………. 77-79 iv) Depictions of Loyalty ………………………………………………… 79-97 a) Complete Loyalty to the Highest Authority ………………………. 79-91 b) Loyalty as a result of Stupidity …………………………………… 91-94 c) Loyalty to a Subordinate Authority ………………………………. 94-97 v) Tyndarus – Faithful Betrayer ………………………………………… 97-102 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………. 103-105 Chapter 3: Of Gods and Demons ………………………………………… 106-135 Introduction ……………………………………………………………… 106-111 i) Treatment of Gods and Ghosts in Roman Comedy and Ky ōgen ……… 111-123 a) Comic Inversion of the Gods …………………………………….. 111-114 b) Playing with Fear: Manipulating Superstition …………………… 114-119 c) Religious Parody …………………………………………………. 119-122 d) Cowardly Gods ………………………………………………….. 122-123 ii) Reaffirmation of Traditional Values ………………………………… 123-134 a) Tragicomedy and Comic Rebirth ……………………………….. 124-127 b) Embroidering the Ghost-Tale ……………………………........... 127-130 c) Reminders of Power ……………………………………............. 130-134 Conclusion ………………………………………………………........... 134-135 5 Chapter 4: Zat ō Plays and Insanity …………………………………… 136-163 Introduction …………………………………………………………… 136-142 i) Stigmatization – Marking the Afflicted ……………………………... 142-152 ii) Risibility ……………………………………………………………. 152-158 a) The Blind Man as Cuckold ……………………………………. 152-154 b) Reduction to Non-Existence ………………………………….. 154-156 c) The Insane Female ……………………………………………. 156-158 iii) Impotence – Rendering the Powerful, Powerless …………………. 158-162 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………. 162-163 Chapter 5: Braggart Soldiers and Boastful Priests …………………… 164-203 Introduction …………………………………………………………… 164-169 i) Portrayal of the Braggart Priest and the Boastful Soldier ……....... 169-171 ii) Types of Boasts …………………………………………………… 171-187 a) Relationship to the Gods …………………………………….. 171-174 b) Impossible Physical or Mental Feats ………………………… 174-183 c) Exceptional Qualities ………………………………………… 183-187 iii) Humiliation as Anxiety-Alleviation ……………………………… 187-197 iv) The Yamabushi and the Reflection of Fear ………………………. 197-200 v) The Importance of Absence ……………………………………….. 200-201 6 Conclusion …………………………………………………………..... 201-203 Chapter 6: Comedic Wives in Roman Comedy and Ky ōgen ………… 204-241 Introduction ……………………………………………………………. 204-208 i) The Historical Situation of Roman and Japanese Wives …………… 208-211 ii) Roman Matronae and Ky ōgen Wives ……………………………… 211-213 iii) The Marriage Paradox ……………………………………………. 213-226 a) The Undesirability of a Wife ………………………………….. 214-216 b) Comic Insults ………………………………………………….. 216-220 c) Trickery as Symbolic Emasculation …………………………… 221-222 d) Wawashii Onna and quarrelsome Matronae …………………... 222-226 iv) Subversion as Emasculating ………………………………………… 226-233 a) Role Subversion ………………………………………………… 226-229 b) Humiliation ……………………………………………………. 229-233 v) Reclaiming Authority ………………………………………………… 233-237 vi) Atypical Wives ………………………………………………………. 237-240 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………. 240-241 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………… 242-251 i) Identified Similarities and Differences …………….…………………. 243-245 ii) Enhanced Understanding …………………….………………………. 245-249 7 iii) Potential Impacts …………………………………………………… 249-251 Glossary of Japanese Terms Found in this Thesis ……………………… 252-254 Works Cited ………………………………………………………………. 255-278 WORD COUNT: 78,868 words. 8 ABSTRACT There is a tendency amongst scholars to view comedic elements common to Roman Comedy, such as the tricky subordinate or the nagging wife, as part of a developing Western Comedic Tradition. The appearance of these characters in Medieval Japanese Ky ōgen, a comedic art-form unconnected with Western Comedy, challenges this viewpoint and suggests that they are part of a wider comedic identity. This thesis compares and contrasts Roman Comedy and Ky ōgen through their techniques of fear- alleviation, exploring the manner in which each culture addresses social anxieties. The first chapter explores the comedic master-slave/servant relationship through the medium of the tricky slave/servant. It examines how the motif of the tricky subordinate is used to alleviate contemporary fears of authority figures. Chapter 2 considers the other half of this relationship, focusing on authority’s fear of rebellion and how this is addressed through the loyal and/or stupid slave/servant. Chapter 3 explores the depiction of religious and supernatural figures in the two comedic forms and examines the methods by which these awe-inspiring beings are portrayed humorously and rendered harmless. The fourth chapter reflects on the treatment of illness in Roman Comedy and Ky ōgen. It discusses how contemporary social anxieties regarding blind men (Medieval Japan) and the stigma of insanity and epilepsy (Rome) are alleviated through the humorous comedic depiction of blind and insane/epileptic characters. Chapter 5 explores the comedic presentation of professional figures. This chapter contrasts the boastful character of the comedic soldier of Roman Comedy with the braggart priest of Ky ōgen. In Chapter 6, the focus is on the misogynistic treatment of wives in both comedic art-forms. This chapter explores contemporary fear of wives and how this fear is alleviated through their negative portrayal in comedy. This thesis finds that there is a strong correlation between Roman Comedy and Ky ōgen, both in the types of social anxiety which they seek to alleviate and the methods by which they seek to accomplish this. It also finds that the motif of the tricky subordinate and the nagging wife are not just Western phenomena but that they are also present in the Eastern Comic Tradition. The comparison of Roman Comedy with Ky ōgen, an unrelated comedic form, leads to an enhanced understanding of the role which these characters play in alleviating social anxiety. It also enables the consideration of stock characters in Roman comedy from a wider viewpoint, presenting an opportunity for scholars to re-evaluate characters such as the tricky subordinate and the nagging wife as products of a wider, universal comic tradition. 9 DECLARATION I declare that no portion of the work referred to in the thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT i. The author of this thesis (including any appendices and/or schedules to this thesis) owns certain copyright or related rights in it (the “Copyright”) and s/he has given The University of Manchester certain rights to use such Copyright, including for administrative purposes. ii. Copies of this thesis, either in full or in extracts and whether in hard or electronic copy, may be made only in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) and regulations issued under it or, where appropriate, in accordance with licensing agreements which the University has from time to time. This page must form part of any such copies made. iii. The ownership of certain Copyright, patents, designs, trade marks and other intellectual property (the “Intellectual Property”) and any reproductions of copyright works in the thesis, for example graphs and tables (“Reproductions”), which may be described in this thesis, may not be owned by the author and may be owned by third parties. Such Intellectual Property and Reproductions
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