Post by Caden Hong on Nov 4, 2015 16:35:05 GMT
An onnagata is responsible for representing the most ideal form of what we consider “feminine beauty.” Onnagata, a role that is always played by a male actor, embodies this concept of the ideal feminine “in both… speech and bodily movements” in order to keep his charm (298). These actors utilize a style of acting that we consider “method acting,” by remaining in character both on and off stage. This requires a lot of work and extreme focus in meticulous details, but it is thought to be helpful in developing characters in its most lifelike state. This intentional blurring (or even erasing) of the boundary between stage and real life is exactly what makes someone a true onnagata, and Mangiku, a very successful onnagata. Not only does the onnagata embody the ideal feminine in a male body, which in and of itself (in a gender binary world) is an act of fogging two separate identities, but an onnagata must also embody his identity as an onnagata off stage as well.
It is only when both dream (which can be identified as the feminine ideal or the stage) and reality (which can be identified as the actor’s physical male body or the real world) come together in a single person, that the identity of an onnagata can come alive.
It is “illicit” because:
Onnagata blurs various boundaries and questions the legitimacy of various identities (maybe when it isn’t supposed to be challenged, like gender performance)
Onnagata is attempting to represent and embody something that can only remain as a concept — it is impossible for someone to possess the perfect form of femininity because it’s an ideal
I found it interesting how Masuyama described the other women as if they “sprawled about like animals in the zoo,” almost as if he had the authority to police their behaviors for not being “feminine” enough (298). This reminded me of how dominant groups in society like to (unrightfully) “demonstrate” what it means to be a non-dominant group to the members of a non-dominant group. For instance, throughout history and even today, white actors have put on “yellow-face” to imitate Asian people and their behaviors in a stereotypical way by overemphasizing and fetishizing the concept of “Asianness" to its core. I think the concept of onnagata is very similar in the sense of the dominant group (men) policing gender and gendered behavior of the non-dominant group (women).
Questions:
1. Even though “Matsuyama sensed that Mangiku was well aware of his affection,” Mangiku did not return the affection, but rather took advantage of Matsuyama by getting him to ask Kawasaki out for dinner (301). Why was Mangiku attracted to Kawasaki and not Matsuyama?
2. If you were casted to be an onnagata (or as a male character for female students), would you be able to dedicate as much time into creating your opposite gendered character like Mangiku? What do you think would be the easiest and the hardest parts about it?
It is only when both dream (which can be identified as the feminine ideal or the stage) and reality (which can be identified as the actor’s physical male body or the real world) come together in a single person, that the identity of an onnagata can come alive.
It is “illicit” because:
Onnagata blurs various boundaries and questions the legitimacy of various identities (maybe when it isn’t supposed to be challenged, like gender performance)
Onnagata is attempting to represent and embody something that can only remain as a concept — it is impossible for someone to possess the perfect form of femininity because it’s an ideal
I found it interesting how Masuyama described the other women as if they “sprawled about like animals in the zoo,” almost as if he had the authority to police their behaviors for not being “feminine” enough (298). This reminded me of how dominant groups in society like to (unrightfully) “demonstrate” what it means to be a non-dominant group to the members of a non-dominant group. For instance, throughout history and even today, white actors have put on “yellow-face” to imitate Asian people and their behaviors in a stereotypical way by overemphasizing and fetishizing the concept of “Asianness" to its core. I think the concept of onnagata is very similar in the sense of the dominant group (men) policing gender and gendered behavior of the non-dominant group (women).
Questions:
1. Even though “Matsuyama sensed that Mangiku was well aware of his affection,” Mangiku did not return the affection, but rather took advantage of Matsuyama by getting him to ask Kawasaki out for dinner (301). Why was Mangiku attracted to Kawasaki and not Matsuyama?
2. If you were casted to be an onnagata (or as a male character for female students), would you be able to dedicate as much time into creating your opposite gendered character like Mangiku? What do you think would be the easiest and the hardest parts about it?
