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Introduction to Japanese Literature and Fumiko Enchi

Introduction to Japanese Literature and Fumiko Enchi. Manyoshu and Kokinshu eras. Dominated by women writers Manyoshu – 8 th century Kokinshu – 9 th century People are often surprised to discover that early Japanese literature was dominated by women writers.

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Introduction to Japanese Literature and Fumiko Enchi

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  1. Introduction to Japanese Literature and Fumiko Enchi

  2. Manyoshu and Kokinshu eras • Dominated by women writers • Manyoshu – 8th century • Kokinshu – 9th century • People are often surprised to discover that early Japanese literature was dominated by women writers. • Often this is associated with the freedom and relatively high political and economic position women enjoyed during these periods.

  3. Heian Period (794-1185) • Women moved increasingly into domestic roles, yet, they continued to be central to Japanese Writing. Especially important to their writing was the shift toward confessional or journal writing. • The Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book, two of the most famous Japanese classics were written by women during this period.

  4. Feudal Times in Japan1168-1603 • The dark ages of literature by women. Women were completely confined to the domestic space and suffered from the widespread practice of polygamy. There was a long period of silence during which women lost their place in Japanese Literature.

  5. Language • One of the things that separated women and men’s literature was the division of languages – Men wrote in Chinese, (kanji) women in Japanese (kana).

  6. Edo – 1603-1868 • Dominated by neo-confucianism and the samuri class, which established its political supremacy on “masculine” principles. • Women writers and women’s themes remained dormant during this period.

  7. Meiji Period (1868-1912)Taisho Period (1912-1926) • Resurgence of women’s writing • During Meiji there was increasing emphasis on educating women. Their increased literacy led to an increase in writing and publication. • But, women writers were placed in a separate category, isolated from the real world of literature, the masculine world. • There were women’s literary prizes and a whole “genre” of work called joryu bungaku, or women’s writing, that was segregated from the tradition of “good” or “best” or “Japanese” writing.

  8. Feminine Writing • Women were encouraged to write in the feminine style about feminine topics. • Some female writers became famous because the overcame their femininity and were able to “write like a man.” • Though there was a “New Woman” in Japan, as well as in the West, one who wrote about the female ego in its pursuit of self-fulfillment and self-expression, there was more discrimination against the woman writer in Japan than in the West.

  9. Enchi • Like their Western counterparts, Japanese women began to explore the subconscious realm of the female psyche. • Enchi started her career as a writer in the leftist tradition. • Then there was a long period of silence due to health problems. • When she began to write again, she focused almost exclusively on the female psyche.

  10. Women Writers • P. 13 of Ericson • Are there female and male sensibilities in writing? What might they be? • Can we take two US writers – say James and Wharton or Faulkner and Welty or two others you know, and say that they write differently based on gender?

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