Midterm short essays. Literature & Language Essay

Midterm Essays
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Midterm Essays
Question 1
The zaju convention was a Chinese Opera that entertained the synthetization of prose recitations, which included songs, dances, singing, and mimes. Notably, all these were performed with a particular emphasis on comedy, or the creation of happy endings. It is majorly known to be part of the Yuan Dynasty. It a popular form of development during the Yuan Dynasty era, when the Chinese were ruled by the Mongols. There are about 30 zaju titles that have been preserved in their original format. They showcase the historical developments in China, love affairs, crime stories, and Buddhists tales. There are certain limitations of the zaju convention, including the fact that they were based on conventional methods and practices, which included the merging of traditional postures, gestures, and bodily movements. This is particularly depicted in The Orphan of Zhao, a Yuan Play where traditional all the four suites of songs were assigned to a single performer, which caused an asymmetrical character to zaju. There was only one party in the dramatic conflict being exposed in the zaju convention. The other protagonist in the play remains shadowy figures because only one party is allowed to develop into a well-rounded character. Another apparent limitation ...