Aoi no Ue (play)
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| Aoi no Ue | |
| 葵上 | |
|---|---|
| English title | Lady Aoi |
| Written by | Zeami Motokiyo |
| Category | 4th — miscellaneous |
| Mood | mugen |
| Style | geki |
| Characters | shite Rokujo no Miyasudokoro (Maejite/Nochijite) tsure the shaman Teruhi waki the priest Kojihiri of Yokawa wakizure Cour official |
| Place | Imperial Palace, Heian-kyō |
| Time | Heian period |
| Sources | Genji monogatari |
| Schools | all |
Aoi no Ue (葵上, Lady Aoi) is a Noh play written by Zeami Motokiyo based on an episode in the Tale of Genji and named for Lady Aoi, one of the novel's characters. It is an example of the fourth category of "miscellaneous" Noh plays.
[edit] Background
Prince Genji, who was married to his wife Lady Aoi at a young age, has taken a mistress, Lady Rokujo. Lady Rokujo had been married to the crown prince, and had been next in line to become empress. The death of her husband robbed her of the chance to become empress and left her powerless.
Following an episode in which she is humiliated in public by Lady Aoi, Rokujo is enraged to discover that Aoi is pregnant. Genji begins ignoring Rokujo, and in her jealousy her living spirit leaves her body and possesses Lady Aoi, resulting in Aoi's death.
[edit] Plot
The play focuses on the exorcism of the living spirit of Lady Rokujo from the body of Lady Aoi.
The first woman to play the lead role in Aoi no Ue was Uzawa Hisa.
