COMP 278(S) Premodern Japanese Literature and Performance (Same as Japanese 276)

JAPN 276(S) Premodern Japanese Literature and Performance (Same as Comparative Literature 278)
Some of Japan's performance traditions, which developed in different historical settings, have survived to this day and continue to coexist and compete for the attention of audiences both domestically and abroad. This course examines the Japanese literature of three major periods in Japan's history, focusing on how literary and performance traditions have been interrelated in the unfolding of Japanese literary history. We will begin by looking into the Heian period (794-1185), when the work of female authors occupied center stage and some of the canonical texts of the Japanese literary and cultural tradition were born. Next we will consider the medieval period (1185-1600), which saw the rise of the samurai class and the consequent shift in the domain of artistic creation. Then we will look at the Edo period (1600-1867), when a new bourgeois culture flourished and audiences were greatly transformed. We will also explore the continuing force of premodern literary traditions in contemporary performing arts. All readings and discussions will be in English.
Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: active class participation, presentations, written journals, two essay questions, one paper, and attendance of live performance events.
No prerequisites. No enrollment limit (expected: 15). Open to all.
Hour: KAGAYA