Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu

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Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu
Author	Chikamatsu Monzaemon; Keene wrote the Preface, the Introduction, and the two appendices
Translator	Donald Keene
Illustrator	Not listed
Cover artist	Benjamin S. Farber
Country	USA
Language	English
Series	as "Major Plays of Chikamatsu", was Number LXVI of the "Records of Civilization Sources and Studies"; it was also included in the "Japanese Translations Series" of the "UNESCO Collection of Representative Works"[1]. Also part of Columbia University Press's "Translations from the Asian Classics"
Genre(s)	Drama
Publisher	Columbia University Press
Publication date	the 4 plays, 1961; with Preface, 1998
Media type	Print (softcover )
Pages	220 pages
ISBN	ISBN 0-231-11101-0 (1998 Columbia University Press edition)

Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu is a collection of four major dramas by the famous Japanese playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon. The four plays were first translated by Donald Keene in 1961, and have appeared in various collections and books over the years; Four Major Plays contains a Preface, an Introduction, and two appendices in addition, and is published by Columbia University Press.

The Preface gives a more human account of matters, mentioning that Keene's translations of the plays have actually been performed; the lengthy introduction gives a brief biographical sketch of Chikamatsu and a discussion of various literary features and other background useful for understanding Chikamatsu's plays.