Anthology of Japanese Literature: From the Earliest Era to the Mid-Nineteenth CenturyDonald Keene A landmark collection of five periods of literature from the Land of the Rising Sun. The sweep of Japanese literature in all its great variety was made available to Western readers for the first time in this anthology. Every genre and style, from the celebrated Nō plays to the poetry and novels of the seventeenth century, find a place in this book. An introduction by Donald Keene places the selections in their proper historical context, allowing the readers to enjoy the book both as literature and as a guide to the cultural history of Japan. Selections include "Man'yōshū" or "Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves" from the ancient period; "Kokinshū" or "Collection of Ancient and Modern Poetry," "The Tosa Diary" of Ki no Tsurayuki, "Yūgao" from "The Tale of Genji" of Murasaki Shikibu, and "The Pillow Book" of Sei Shōnagon from the Heian Period; "The Tale of the Heike" from the Kamakura Period; Plan of the No Stage, "Birds of Sorrow" of Seami Motokiyo, and "Three Poets at Minase" from the Muromachi Period; and selections from Bashō, including "The Narrow Road of Oku," "The Love Suicides at Sonezaki" by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, and Waka and haiku of the Tokugawa Period. |
Contents
Poetry from the Six Collections | |
Kagerō Nikki | |
The Sarashina Diary | |
The Lady Who Loved Insects | |
The Tale of the Heike | |
Shinkokinshū | |
An Account of My | |
The Captain of Naruto | iii |
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Anthology of Japanese Literature: From the Earliest Era to the Mid ... Donald Keene Limited preview - 1955 |
Common terms and phrases
ARTHUR WALEY asked Atsumori autumn bamboo Bashō beautiful bird blossoms Buddha called capital Chinese CHORUS court dark dawn death DONALD KEENE dream Emperor Empress eyes feel flowers Genji girl grief haiku hair hand hear heard heart Heian Period Heike holy Hunter Japan Japanese literature JIRÕ jōruri journey Kagerō Nikki Kaifūsō kimono Kita KIYOYORI Kojiki KOMACHI Koremitsu Kuheiji Kūkai Kyorai Kyoto lady leaves living look Man'yōshū master Matsuo Bashō Mõemon Monk moon morning mountain Narihira NARRATOR never night OHATSU once Ono no Komachi Osan palace passed pine poem poetry poets PRIEST Prince Princess rain seemed Sei Shōnagon Shōhaku shrine sleeve someone spring Tale of Genji TARO tears tell temple things thought TOKUBEI trees Ukon verse village voice wait waves weeping wife wind words Yaji young yūgen