'Origins of Modern Japanese Literature'

Paper Summary:

This paper focuses on two chapters from Brett De Bary's translation of 'Origins of Modern Japanese Literature' by Karatani Kojin. This paper introduces a distinctively Japanese regard for landscape in relation to literature, and discusses what Kojin referred to as the `discovery of Interiority'. The paper reviews these chapters as they are a helpful introduction to other trends in modern Japanese literature before the rise of militarism.The rise in militarism heralded the War in the Pacific that brought the destruction of the Japanese`modern' order as it is known.

From the Paper:

"Foreign influence of the later 19th century inspired reflection on Japanese literature hitherto shaped by Confucian/Chinese literary culture. Several reformers appeared, esp. Soseki of early 20th century to inspire a strongly Japanese expression; focus on landscape as background for human activity, and conveying of human psychology. Expression then delayed by rise of Japanese militarism in 1920s and 1930s; much of what we understand, now, did not surface strongly till after 1949. Mainly course material references."

More papers on 'Origins of Modern Japanese Literature':

• Research Paper # 45218 : "Construction of Self: The Identity of Modern Japanese-Canadians"
• Research Paper # 45235 : "Identity of Modern Japanese-Canadians"
• Analytical Essay # 1985 : "The I-Novel: A Type of Modern Japanese Fiction"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: