Some part of the dialogue between the Elderly Undertaker and the Chorus of Elderly Bachelors was adapted from the lines of the chorus and characters that appear in the Greek tragedy Agamemnon by Aeschylus.
The song of the dog and the pig, in which it is repeatedly declared that they did not harm the land, water, or other living beings, is inspired by “The Declaration of Innocence” from The Egyptian Book of the Dead. That is, it is a declaration made by souls of the dead as they face the gods at the entrance of the underworld, enumerating the deeds that human beings should not commit while inhabiting the living world.
The funeral procession in the play is modeled after that of Yeondo, a small island on the southern tip of the Korean peninsula, where only women carry the funeral bier. For the way the speakers address others to alleviate the fear of leaving this world, I referenced the Korean translation of Bardo Thodol, a Tibetan scripture read by monks or acquaintances to the dead or dying. And for the lyrics of the songs sung by the characters in the play, I have appropriated phrases from the Bible, the Koran, the Sutta Nipāta, and the Bhagavad Gita, with particular focus on various Korean funerary songs, which I have modified to fit the context and flow of the play.
Translator’s note: Aigo is a Korean expression that can be used similarly to the interjections “oh my!” "oh dear!” “dear me!” “good heavens!” as well as “ouch!” in English. It is a common yet versatile expression that is often used to express shock or surprise, but is also typically uttered by grieving family members, customarily women, at funerals and wakes.
Translator’s note: This refrain is a Korean chorus-like refrain that typically accompanies folk dancing and music used to express joy and pleasure in various farming-village community celebrations.
Translated from Korean by Alice S. Kim.