"Major Plays of Chikamatsu gives Western readers a fascinating look at seventeenth century Japanese culture. Like other playwrights before him, Chikamatsu created characters who are members of a society driven by its mores. However, unlike those of other playwrights of the period, Chikamatsu's characters have multidimensional personalities and unconventional voices, making his art more realistc and complex."--Publisher's description.