EAS134   Japanese Literature   (10 credits)

Description

The world's first novel was written by a Japanese woman, Murasaki Shikibu, in the 11th Century. The Nobel Prize for Literature has been awarded to two Japanese authors: Kawabata Yasunari in 1968 and Oe Kenzaburo in 1994. Today, Murakami Haruki (The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood) is a significant force in contemporary literature and is widely read throughout the world. This module offers an introduction to Japanese literature from its beginnings to the present day. Lectures introduce key works within their social and historical contexts. Seminars are student-led and offer opportunites to explore individual authors and their works in more depth. By the end of the course you will have read a selection of Japanese literature in English-language translation and gained a broad understanding of the range and diversity of fiction produced across several centuries.

Reading List