Ghosts in Intertextuality
Sarayashiki Between wagei and Local Tradition
abstract
Sarayashiki (The Dish Mansion) is one of the four best-known Japanese ghost stories with a female character playing the leading role. The analysis will focus on intertextual elements shared by the many variations and adaptations in different genres and periods, looking particularly at the wagei theatrical repertory of the Edo period and some elements in local productions of the story. This paper does not seek to examine the origins or the narrative itinerary of the story, instead, it aims to detect some of the more interesting factors of intertextuality, which will allow some speculation on their meanings and literary results.
Keywords: San’yūtei Enchō • Katsura Bunji I • Sarayashiki • Baba Bunkō • Layers of narration in intertextuality