Japanese Literature in Its Cultural Context

Catalog description

Japanese literature and film from classical through contemporary times, with attention to changing cultural settings. Taught in English. This course is intended to provide an introduction to the literature of Japan from the seventh century to the postmodern era. Prior study of Japan is not required and materials will be available in English. Students will learn about major eras of Japanese literature and culture, such as the age of the Man'yoshu, the age of the Genji monogatari (The Tale of Genji), the age of No and Kyogen, the age of Wit and Learning, the age of Meiji, the age of industrialization, the postwar years, and postmodernity. The readings will include several genres, such as poetry, folktale, short story, and novel, with an emphasis on prose fiction. The course is structured so that students develop a historical/cultural perspective in order to understand the contexts that have inspired the literary works. By examining literature in its cultural contexts, students will investigate such topics as the relation between social institutions and the individual, the traditional patriarchal system, the changing roles of women, westernization, the Emperor system, and postmodern consumer culture, among others.Students will read literature and related materials from different periods, with occasional presentations of films. Class work includes some lecture but emphasizes guided discussions, group discussions, and student presentations. This participatory approach is intended to deepen appreciation of the texts, to help students understand value systems that may differ from, or else be shared with, those predominant in modern Western cultures, and to assist them in developing both analytical and expressive abilities. The course is designed to be suitable for all students generally interested in Japan, or interested in various fields of humanistic study, whether or not they have previously studied the culture of Japan.