Literature

1. Introduction To
JAPANESE LITERATURE
DIANNA MAY C. MACAPULAY

2. THANK YOU!

3. JAPANESE LITERATURE
Admired for its rapid development just
right after developing their writing system
Has a rich variety of literary genres with
western influences

4. Tale of Genji
- first true novel in the world
Noh Drama
-restrained theatrical presentation with
lyrical, poetic texts recited by masks actors
Haiku
- a poem with 17 syllables

5. ORIGIN:
JAPANESE LITERATURE began with oral poetry and
mythology
KOJIKI (record of ancient matters)- earliest surviving
work in Japan
MAN YOSHU (mid 8th century)- collection of 10, 000
leaves with 4,500 poems in several forms
KANA- syllabic writing that suited the Japanese
- it helped developed advances in prose

6. THE INSTABILITY PERIOD
GEMPEI WAR (180- 1185)
- The comfortable life of the courtier and poets was
put to an end
- This undertaking shifted the literary subject to
and war
- Resulted to the major epics such as the “The Tale of
Heike” 1371

7. 14th century
- Literature can be characterized by classical literary
styles
Famous writers:
Lady Nijo- “Confessions of Lady Nijo”
Yoshida Kenko- “Essays in Idleness”
Zeami Motokiyo- renditions of the Noh Play

8. THE TOKUGAWA PERIOD
Named after the ruler Tokugawa Iyeyasu
Haikus and the poetic travel accounts of Basho
some of the famous works in this era

9. THE MODERN PERIOD
Characterized by influences from Russia,
Europe, and America
Contemporary authors continued to produce a
wide range of works in terms of style and genre