Reviews for Anthology of Japanese Literature: From the Earliest Era to the Mid-Nineteenth Century

The average rating for Anthology of Japanese Literature: From the Earliest Era to the Mid-Nineteenth Century based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-09-04 00:00:00 John Constantine Reading this five-period anthology of Japanese literature is definitely rewarding if its readers get interested in knowing more on some interesting selections translated from Japanese as compiled and edited by Donald Keene. Some might not agree due to its incomplete excerpts but, I think, we need to be content with such an anthology since it's impossible to read all originals in Japanese. Moreover, we can do that if we really know Japanese and can read all we want online via Project Gutenburg (I tried searching an ebook of 'The Tale of Genji' there but in vain, I think we've to keep waiting) or some good national library websites in Japan. I liked most prose selections and some parts of the plays, however, as for the Haiku or Waga poems, etc. I think we can grasp the meaning of each topic as well as we can since we certainly appreciate more in terms of its shades of literary meaning if we studied and knew Japanese well. The following excerpts are taken from the three selections I liked most: they are from Kamakura Period, Muromachi Period and Tokugawa Period respectively. I'm sorry to skip the preceding two periods, that is, Ancient Period and Heian Period because I would like to encourage my friends to read the selections there and share their views. 1. An Account of my Hut by Kamo no Chomei [written in 1212; therefore, 2017-1212 = 805 years ago] I do not prescribe my way of life to men enjoying happiness and wealth, but have related my experiences merely to show the differences between my former and present life. Ever since I fled the world and become a priest, I have known neither hatred nor fear. I leave my span of days for Heaven to determine, neither clinging to life nor begrudging its end. My body is like a drifting cloud - I ask for nothing, I want nothing. My great joy is a quiet nap; my only desire for this life is to see the beauties of the seasons. (p. 211) 2. Essays in Idleness by Yoshida Kenko It is a joyful thing indeed to hold intimate converse with a man after one's own heart, chatting without reserve about things of interest or the fleeting topics of the world; but such, alas, are few and far between. Not that one desires a companion who will sit opposite and never utter a word of contradiction - one might as well alone. Far better in hours of loneliness the company of one who, while he will listen with respect to your views, will disagree a little, and argue, saying "Yes, that is so, but …" or "For this reason such and such is the case." And yet, with those who are not of the same way of thinking or are contentious, a man can discuss only things of passing interest, for the truth is there must not be any wide gulf between bosom friends. (p. 234) 3. The Biography of Snowflake by Rai Sanyo By nature Snowflake was of a high-spirited, gallant disposition. She devoted little attention to business affairs, but studied instead calligraphy and painting with the Master of the Willow Stream Garden, and took lessons in swordsmanship and judo. She was pale, large, and portly, with great strength in her limbs. Two women attendants named Tortoise (Okame) and Mountain Peak (Oiwa) - both of whom were very strong and brave - constantly followed Snowflake about. At this time she had just turned sixteen, and her two companions were likewise in the bloom of their beauty. Young idlers and ruffians meeting them on the street would often tease the girls and challenge them to a battle. At such times Snowflake would glance meaningfully at her attendants, and they would thereupon knock the boys to the ground, often so hard that they could not get up again. (p. 441) I especially liked the last paragraph, such an apt and witty conclusion: The story of Snowflake cannot, of course, be taken as a model of conduct. But in her time there were women who conducted themselves like men, while today we see only men who behave as women. I have hoped herein to divine the rise and fall of Fortune and to elicit, perhaps, a sigh. (p. 442) Moreover, I think "What the Seasons Brought to the Almanac-Maker" (1686) by Ihara Saikaku under the title of "The Lake Which Took People In," especially the first line, that is, It is written in 'The Tale of Genji," "There is no logic in love". (p. 344, l. 11) has revealed his true wisdom and understanding of human affairs, culture, logic, etc. on which we need to ponder and agree, more or less. It's a pity this Anthology lacks the following: a. List of translators b. Clear, full understandable words: Some defective ones, e.g. ...the doll bv her side ... (p. 390, l. 7), ... written with this in _ind ... (p. 390, l. 17), Famous active volcan_ (p. 412, footnote), etc. c. Incomplete Contents page [i.e. 440 The Biography of Snowflake: missing] There are few words that need verifying, for instance, ... all have different social stations, ... (p. 388, l. 2) I thought the word "stations" should be "statuses" according to the context. However, today (November 6, 2012) I came across this word 'stations' again while reading "The Makioka Sisters" (Vintage, 1995) by Junichiro Tanizaki, that is, "... It had been Sachiko's observation that marriages did not last when the husband and wife came from different stations in life. ..." (p. 274). Therefore, I verified its meaning from Oxford Advanced Leaner's Dictionary (Oxford, 2010) and in its 5th definition, 'station' means social position (p. 1511). Please forgive my misunderstanding. In summary, taking this anthology as an interestingly comprehensive overview of Japanese Literature by one of the eminent Japanophile scholars living in Japan, reading its excerpts is truly worthwhile since it can help or guide the readers to broaden their curiosities into those texts in original Japanese or in translated versions in English, French, German, etc. or, hopefully and fortunately, in one's native tongue.

Review # 2 was written on 2011-10-04 00:00:00 Anthony Wayer Only got to read a little bit while staying at a vacation rental with a thick-stuffed bookshelf. I pulled this down because I've never sampled any old Japanese lit, and the editor's introduction drew me in with information like this: . . . . the supreme masterpiece of Japanese literature was "The Tale of Genji" . . . . It is a work of genius, which may justifiably be included among the great novels of the world . . . . One of the unusual features of Heian(? can't read my note) literature is that such work as [The Tale of Genji] were written by women. The usual explanation for this curious fact is that the men considered writing in Japanese to be beneath them and devoted themselves to the composition of poetry and prose in Chinese, leaving the women to write masterpieces in the native language. I chowed down on that affirming information for just what it is, and as it applies to my own business of blogging and making autobiographical porn. While the menfolk did a shitty job of trying to mimic someone else's fancy poetic language and wasted their time, the women used the words they (and the rest of the common people) had access to and made something beautiful. Good reminders to use the words you know and tell good yarns regardless of trends or what the supremely ignorant literati say.