The American Noh Play: The American Civil War

Student’s Name Course Instructor Date Analysis of the American Noh Play, Gettysburg The American Noh Play is a story that re-lives the painful past of soldiers during the American Civil War. The story tells of a war veteran who served in Afghanistan and who has set off to visit the battlefields of Gettysburg. He meets the groundskeeper and during their interaction, the veteran reveals that he had inherited a watch that was meant to be delivered to General Winfield Hancock from the Confederate General Lewis Armistead as a mark of their friendship. The veteran and the groundskeeper then talk about the bond that soldiers such as Armistead and Hancock had during the war. The veteran is later told to wait until sunset if he wishes to feel the presence of the soldiers that had long died in the war. This is proven right when the sun sets and the veteran is even able to see and talk to the ghost of General Lewis Armistead. They talk about the experiences and losses of the war and Armistead is anguished by the fact that his close friend Hancock did not say anything about him after learning of his death. My favorite part is when the ghost of Armistead appears from the dead and talks to the veteran. The communication between these two is eye opening in regards to the real experiences that the men had during the civil war. The character in the play uses a unique and dramatic mask that makes one understand that it is a portrayal of a ghost. Two major themes in the play are war and friendship. The theme of war is spread throughout the story beginning with the veteran who is a soldier’s son and a descendant of a general who fought in the civil war. The story mentions the civil war, the Vietnam War and the war in Afghanistan. It is also mentioned that the soldiers perceived fighting in ...