Kaoru Morimoto
Kaoru Morimoto | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1912 Osaka, Japan |
| Died | 1946 Japan |
| Pen name | Kaoru Morimoto |
| Occupation | Playwright, actor, director |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Alma mater | University of Tokyo |
Morimoto Kaoru (森本 かおる) was a Japanese playwright, director, and actor (1912 - 1946) most well known for his critically acclaimed play, A Woman's Life, (Onna no isshō). Morimoto's work was most popular during Japan's postwar era but his plays are still performed today. Morimoto was born in Osaka, but later moved to Tokyo where he received a degree in English Literature from Tokyo University. Morimoto died in 1946 of tuberculosis.[1]
Life and work
Early life
It was during the prewar period that Morimoto began his playwriting career. During this time, he was a disciple of Kunio Kishida, one of the most prominent playwrights of the 20th century.[2]Morimoto was in high school when he first contracted tuberculosis. He managed to mostly recover, but the disease would continue to adversely affect his health in the future. Morimoto studied English literature at Tokyo University.[1]
A Woman's Life
A Woman's Life was first directed by Kubota Mantarō and performed by the Literary Theater in April of 1945, the same year Morimoto finished the manuscript. World War II ended only months after the play was first staged and in early 1946, Morimoto rewrote the first and last scenes to, "make the play compatible with the postwar political atmosphere." At this point, he was already extremely sick with tuberculosis and passed away later that year.[2]
Other works
Damu Nite, a one-act play by Morimoto, was written while he was still in high school.[1]
Death
During World War II, Morimoto relapsed from the Tuburculosis he had first suffered from in high school.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Miller, Scott J. "Morimoto Kaoru." Historical Dictionary of Modern Japanese Literature and Theater. Illustrated ed. Vol. 33. N.p.: Scarecrow, 2009. 78. Print.
- ^ a b Rimer, Thomas J., Mitsuya Mori, and Cody M. Poulton. "A Woman's Life." The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Drama. Trans. Ghuohe Zheng. N.p.: Columbia UP, 2014. 182+. Reader.eblib.com. University of Washington Library. Web. 5 May 2015.
External Links
- [1] Historical Dictionary of Modern Japanese Literature and Theater on Google Books