Leather Gods & Wooden Heroes

"Leather Gods and Wooden Heroes explores the fascinating world of the traditional Javanese theatre or wayang purwa, one of Indonesia's most important and sophisticated art forms. Historically wayang has been of immense significance in the development of Javanese culture and values. The remarkably entertaining stories of Javanese wayang encompass universal moral and ethical philosophical concepts which inspire inner contemplation and set standards for outward behaviour. Above all, wayang is entertainment. It contains high drama, subtle word-play and low comedy. A living art form, wayang is undergoing constant renewal - both artistically and in terms of its relevance to life on Indonesia today.This book by author David Irvine seeks to provide a comprehensive reference and guide to the development, themes and art forms of wayang purwa. Where necessary, the author has made comparisons with the Indian originals - principally in order to show how the Javanese have created over the centuries a distinctively Javanese folk art. The first part of the book examines the origins of wayang purwa, the epic stories contained therein, the themes and characters, the roles of the dalang and music, puppet types and wayang performance preparation and structure. Part Two gives a detailed account of principal characters in wayang purwa. Part Three provides a summary of the principal names and places in wayang purwa while Part Four contains a useful glossary of terms that are indispensable to an excursion into the subject."--