Japanese Literature Notes

Japanese Writing System

The modern Japanese writing system incorporates three scripts:

  • Kanji: Ideographs derived from Chinese characters.

  • Kana: A pair of syllabaries:

    • Hiragana: Used for native Japanese words.

    • Katakana: Used for foreign loanwords and for emphasis, sometimes replacing kanji or hiragana.

Periods of Japanese Literature

Japanese literature is categorized into distinct periods:

  • Ancient Literature

  • Classical Literature

  • Medieval Literature

  • Edo Period

  • Meiji Period

  • Post-War Japan

  • Contemporary Literature

Ancient Literature

Two of the oldest examples of Japanese literature are:

  • Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters): Focuses on the creation of the world, describes gods and goddesses from the mythological period, and provides facts about ancient Japan.

  • Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan): Presents the history of Japan in poetic form and demonstrates significant Chinese influence.

Classical Literature

The Heian Period is considered the golden age for Japanese art and literature.

  • Man'yoshu (Collection of Myriad Leaves): The oldest collection of Japanese poetry, compiled around the year 800.

  • Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji): Written by Murasaki Shikibu, a court lady. It’s considered the pre-eminent masterpiece of Heian fiction and is recognized as the first novel.

Medieval Literature

This period was marked by civil wars, leading to the rise of a warrior class and the development of war tales, histories, and related stories. Key themes include insights into life and death, simple lifestyles, and seppuku (ritual suicide).

  • Tale of the Heike: An epic narrative detailing the conflict between two clans for control of Japan at the end of the twelfth century.

Edo Period

Also known as the Tokugawa Period, during which the capital of Japan moved from Kyoto to Edo (modern Tokyo).

  • Scholarly works continued to be published in Chinese, similar to the use of Latin in Europe.

  • Chikamatsu Monzaemon: A kabuki dramatist, often referred to as the "Japan's Shakespeare."

  • Many new literary genres emerged, supported by increased literacy among townspeople and the growth of lending libraries.

  • The introduction of Chinese vernacular fiction significantly influenced the development of early modern Japanese fiction. Genres included horror, crime, morality stories, comedy, and pornography, frequently accompanied by colorful woodcut prints.

Meiji Period

The Meiji period marked Japan's reopening to the West and a period of rapid industrialization.

  • European literature was introduced, bringing free verse into Japanese poetry which facilitated longer works with new intellectual themes.

  • Young Japanese prose writers and dramatists grappled with new ideas and artistic schools, with novelists being the first to successfully assimilate these concepts.

  • Wartime Japan saw the emergence of authors known for their beautiful language and stories of love and sensuality.

  • Kawabata Yasunari: Became Japan's first Nobel Prize laureate in Literature for his narrative mastery expressing the essence of the Japanese mind.

Post-War and Contemporary Literature

World War II and Japan's defeat profoundly impacted Japanese literature. Many authors explored themes of disaffection, loss of purpose, and coping with defeat.

  • Prominent writers of the 1970s and 1980s addressed intellectual and moral issues, seeking to raise social and political consciousness.

  • Modern Japanese writers covered diverse subjects, with a particular emphasis on the inner lives of their characters, expanding the novel's concern with the narrator's consciousness.

  • Plot development and action were often secondary to emotional issues. There was a reaffirmation of national characteristics, with many old themes re-emerging and some authors consciously turning to the past.

Japanese Drama

  • Noh play: The national theatre of Japan, traditionally reserved for the nobility. Legend attributes its invention to the gods.

  • Joruri play: A puppet or doll theatre featuring beautifully crafted and lifelike dolls.

  • Kabuki: A play for the masses, characterized as less intellectual, more realistic, and often sensational.

Japanese Poetry

  • Tanka: A five-line poem with a syllable structure of 5-7-5-7-7, totaling thirty-one syllables.

  • Haiku: A seventeen-syllable poem composed of three lines arranged in a 5-7-5 pattern.

Example:

Haiku
Autumn moonlight-
a worm digs silently
into the chestnut.

Haiku is a minimalist form of Japanese poetry typically focusing on nature or seasons. It often seeks to create depth or compare two dissimilar elements. The 5-7-5 syllabic structure is fundamental to the form.

Example:

old pond (fu/ru/i/ke ya)
a frog jumps (ka/wa/zu to/bi/ko/mu)
the sound of water (mi/zu no o/to)
--by Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

Kabuki

  • Developed around the 1600s.

  • Stories are based on folklore and history.

  • Features highly stylized makeup.

  • Appeals to a middle-class audience that often vocally participates during performances.

  • Known for its bountiful and exaggerated presentation.

Contemporary Influence of Kabuki & Noh

  • Japanese anime (cartoons) and manga (comic books).

  • Costume and makeup design for modern movies (such as Star Wars).