Session 06: Lyricism II (lyricism in other poetic forms across the centuries, lyricism in prose passages, lyricism and nature)

Topics

❖ Lyrical expression in premodern poems that has nature as an important component
❖ Texts: Kokinshū (10th c. / Heian Two poem anthology)
❖ Aesthetic term (poetic technique): kakekotoba (pivot words)
◊ Texts: Shin-Kokinshū (13th c. / Kamakura poem anthology) *The Shin-Kokinshū is introduced in full later
◊ People: Saigyō (12th c. / Kamakura Buddhist priest & poet)
❖ People: Fujiwara Teika (12th-13th c. / Kamakura poet & critic)

Thoughts—read before class, revisit for tests

I continue my assertion of the importance of lyricism in premodern Japanese literature. But we will also take up another important topic—the predilection to use nature imagery in poems. I will also introduce the Kokin and Shin-Kokin collections, as well as a couple of poets. However, the emphasis is on interpretation. The reading for this time, Lyricism II, states three of the ways nature imagery is used in poems. We will read together poems and consider these three ways.

Required—to be completed for today's session

✓ Read Lyricism II [bSpace, PDF] and follow the directions within it for reading the other files. I will list them here, but Lyricism II gives the context of reading, what you should be looking for, and the reading order: Lyricism II-Izumi Shikibu tenarai, Lyricism II-Manyo poems, Lyricism II-Basho poems.

Multimedia notes

❖ I use a PPT in class that is more or less linked to the above readings.

Other

Terms and such mentioned this day that are not otherwise in an obvious place on the web site, the powerpoints, the assigned reading, etc. (to help with capturing items mentioned, perhaps quickly, in class, not for test purposes)

Nothing yet.