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Session 02—Th, Jan 19: Meiji (1868–1912) & Taishō (1912–1926) periods overview • Mori Ōgai and his “Under Reconstruction” (1910)
Topics for this session
❖ Brief historical and cultural overview of the Meiji and Taishō eras
❖ Mori Ōgai—biography
❖ Mori Ōgai—"Under Reconstruction" (1910, short story)
Thoughts*
The Meiji and Taishō periods are huge in terms of Japan's relationship to the West and other Asian countries. Ōgai's short story is very short but really takes on directly issues of modernization, and is more complex than its few pages would suggest. I sometimes find it smug, and, strangely, like it for that.
When describing Japan's interest in ideas from overseas, I sometimes read as an example the fifth of five pledges from the Charter Oath. Since it isn't possible to write it down in your notes due to the speed I read it, I've included a link.
Our next reading is Kokoro. While I have ordered this book for purchase, you can also work with the electronic edition because it is complete and by the same translator. Go here or search "Kokoro online" if the link doesn't work.
Required reading to be completed for today's session
Assignments are listed on the "Deadlines" page, not here.
✓ Read "Under Reconstruction" [bSpace, PDF]
Green notice: ALL pdfs are to be read but there is NO NEED to print them out for class, for discussion section or for tests. Please consider environmental issues. Quizzes and tests, section discussion and lecture management will all be designed under the assumption that you do not have a copy with you unless explicitly requested to do so. Having a copy will not give you an advantage in class. Most tests and quizzes are closed-book anyway.
Please also note: Short assignments such as this one are intended in part to open up time to manage the heavier reading assignments. Many of you might find it beneficial to start reading already Kokoro, our next assignment.
✓ RJE00A (see " Deadlines"). This is graded but the grade is not included towards the RJE category grade, so this RJE and the next one, are "practice". (This is a courtesy listing of an assignment. In the future, please remember to regularly check the "Deadlines" page to know when an assignment is expected.0
Texts, multimedia notes, links*
◊ Meiji Period scenes [in class only, video clips of Meiji streets, Jse overseas in Russia and England, a school for bushi children, a hot springs] (Did not screen this Spring 2012)
❖ Meiji Period [bSpace, PPT]
❖ Mori Ōgai [bSpace, PPT]
◊ Charter Oath (五箇条の御誓文 Oath in Five Articles)
Other*
◇ This is a nice Web site for various visual information on Meiji and Taishō periods, although it is in Japanese: Volume II of The Tools of Japan [off site link]
◇ Translations:
The Historical Fiction of Mori Ōgai, ed. David A. Dilworth and J. Thomas Rimer. 1977. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1991. A one-volume paperback edition of an earlier two-volume collection of stories.
Modern Japanese Stories: An Anthology, ed. Ivan Morris. 1961. Rutland, Vt.: Charles E. Tuttle, 1966. Contains "Under Reconstruction."
Sansho-Dayu and Other Short Stories, trans. Tsutomu Fukuda. Tokyo: Hokuseido Press, 1970.
Vita Sexualis, trans. Kazuji Ninomiya and Sanford Goldstein. 1972. Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 200.
The Wild Geese, trans. Ochiai Kingo and Sanford Goldstein. Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 1959.
The Wild Goose, trans. Burton Watson. 1995. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Center for Japanese Studies, 1998.
Youth and Other Stories (collection of stories), ed. J. Thomas Rimer. 1994. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1995.
*THOUGHTS: Reading before class probably helps follow session content, reading afterwards might help consolidate notes, revisiting for tests is recommended. Content might be added before class or anytime up until about 24 hours ahead of a midterm.
*TEXTS, MULTIMEDIA NOTES, LINKS: If I have read from something, shown something or presented audio, I usually include that information here. If I consider it testable material, it will definitely be listed here. Miscellaneous material that I show may or may not be listed. I often add material at the last minute and hope to have time later to note it, but often cannot.
*OTHER: When possible I note here names, places, and other details that I have mentioned in a lecture that would otherwise not be accessible in the assigned materials or easily located on your own. As with "TEXTS ..." this is usually sometime after class and, again, I might not be able to get around to doing it.