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Similar to Review - The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon - Arthur Waley translation - Presentation by Kenneth Plank
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Review - The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon - Arthur Waley translation - Presentation by Kenneth Plank
- 1. ARTHUR WALEY’S TRANSLATION OF: THE PILLOW BOOK OF SEI S HŌNAGON Presentation by Kenneth Plank
- 2. BACKGROUND Who are Sei Shōnagon and Arthur Waley?
- 3. SEI SHŌNAGON (C .966-C .1020) 13th century ink drawing ( 1921 replica by Yamatoe Dokokai) Chouyaku Hyakunin Isshu: Uta Koi (2012)
- 4. THE PILLOW BOOK (C. 993-1002) • Zuihitsu (“Follow the brush”) • T. Purcell and W. G. Aston (1889) • Arthur Waley (1928) • Ivan Morris (1967) • Meredith McKinney (2006)
- 5. ARTHUR WALEY (1889-1966) • Orientalist and Sinologist • A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems (1918) • The Tale of Genji (1921-1933) • The Pillow Book (1928) • Monkey: A Folk-Tale of China (1942) • Honors
- 6. PROBLEMATIC FOR HISTORIANS Issues with Waley’s translation of The Pillow Book
- 7. INCOMPLETE Waley's Translation What Was Left Out
- 10. THE POSITIVES Not without merit
- 12. SEI SHŌNAGAN’S VOICE PEEKS THROUGH
- 13. QUESTIONS How can I help you?
Editor's Notes
- Sei Shonagon Real given name unknown Daughter of Kyohara no Motosuke Mid-rank, poor noble Married at 16, first child at 27 Served Empress Teishi, consort of Emperor Ichijo “Rivalry” with Lady Murasaki, author of Genji who served Empress Shoshi Contemporary image of Sei as fun and playful as opposed to demure Murasaki Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred People, One Poem)
- The Pillow Book Zuihitsu—“Follow the brush.” Japanese genre of literature. Fragmented ideas and loosely related personal essays Translated multiple times Earliest translation 1889, newest 2006
- Arthur Waley Orientalist and Sinologist A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems (1918) The Tale of Genji (1921-1933) The Pillow Book (1928) Monkey: A Folk-Tale of China (Journey to the West) (1942) Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1952) Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry (’53) Companion of Honour (’56)
- Incomplete ¼ of the original work Cut out parts considered dull, repetitive, or requiring too much context Translating The Tale of Genji at the same time
- Two Voices Overlapped Waley includes context, which is fine No clear dividing line between context and translation beyond switching from third-person (for Waley) to first person (for Sei) Confusing
- An Englishman’s Story Chose parts that fit his narrative of Heian period Japan being “purely aesthetic” Sei’s voice drowned out by Waley’s
- Artistic Expression Waley tried to get across the beauty of Sei Shonagon’s prose, which is widely admired in Japan Largely succeeded Deep emotion is conveyed in response to the simplest things, like the gloom of the rain or the joy of watching the royal procession
- Sei Shonagan’s Voice Peeks Through Surprisingly casual relationship with the Empress Women as writers Waley’s claim of Heian period being aesthetically focused has truth to it Spark interest