Enroll in E Asian 55 Introduction to Classical Japanese Literature for Winter 2018
Department: East Asian Studies
Post Date: November 27, 2017News Details
This course introduces classical Japanese literature using translations of famous texts, from a 10th century poetry collection to an 18th century puppet play. We study traditional seasonal beauty, marriage politics at the emperor’s court, jealous hauntings, aesthetic competition, war epics, Buddhist ghosts, Zen journeys, and love suicides. Three core assignments include 1) a manga “translation” of a classical text, 2) a piece of creative writing modelled after a Japanese original, and 3) the curation of an online exhibit. There are also a mid-term and a final. Our goal is to engage the texts for their literary, historical, religious, philosophical and aesthetic insights. Rather than mastery, we aim for creativity and a coherent line of inquiry.