The influence of the Noh play Tamura on Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood

Abstract

This paper analyses the impact of the traditional Japanese Noh play Tamura on Akira Kurosawa's film adaptation of Macbeth, Throne of Blood. It examines the presence of Noh elements in the banquet scene, where a solo dance from Tamura is performed, and explores the connection between Tamura's conclusion and the film's final scene, in which the protagonist Washizu is bombarded with arrows. By identifying the banquet scene's dancer with the rebel leader and examining its implications, this study provides a nuanced analysis of the film's ending.