EALL 271 1 25 17 - Kanajo Preface Discussion; Ki no Tsurayuki’s Critiques in Kana Preface PDF

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Kanajo Preface Discussion; Ki no Tsurayuki’s Critiques in Kana Preface...

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Wednesday, January 25, 2017

EALL 271 Announcements

- For Presentations: • Wants to learn about things that you think are interesting about your assigned topic/interesting facts/impressions

• Doesn’t want a short version of what’s on the handout Homework

- Email Professor Man’yoshu poem analysis by tonight (if didn’t already) • She prefers Word format/attachment over PDF • If Tanka: include in paper (don’t need to if analyzed a Choka) - it’s okay if didn’t (said she forgot to tell everyone) - Assigned Reading(?)

Today— Kana(jo) Preface:

- Written by Ki no Tsurayuki (one of the important compilers of Kokinshu) - Talks about the poems of Waka (Japanese poetry) • Talks about the beginning/origin of waka poems - What is the difference between Haze and Dew? In Japan, what is important about nature?

• Seasons— They enjoy associating different things with different seasons - So, Haze and Dew relate to the 4 seasons and cycle of life. - Haze comes in Spring, while Dew comes in Autumn - Why do we grieve over Dew? • Autumn: end of life (nature), end of relationship (poetically) 1

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

- “From the dust and mud to the mountains” • Symbolization of the elevation of waka: it started as something low and regulated, then rose up and became a form of beautiful art

- (“6 styles” skipped over in class) - Paragraph after the 6 styles— • Criticizing poetry nowadays: he thinks that words are trivial, not deep enough, poems don’t have enough effort, not good enough to be read to the public or the Emperor

- Pg. 5-6 • A lot of imagery and examples. What is he doing here? - Talking about how great poems used to be and criticizes the present. • Why is he doing this? - Japanese(?) Concept: life is on a sloped dome, world is going downhill, world used to be great, but now it’s going bad.

- He speaks about today with the idea that the present is not as good as the past in mind

• Kaki no moto no Hitomaru (important poet) - Everyone loves him, he had the perfect relationship with the Emperor • Imagery: - Autumn leaves falling on the river (Tatsura river) • Symbolizes fleeting world, natural beauty of water - Cherry blossoms trees look like clouds to Hitomaru’s mind

Ki no Tsurayuki’s Critiques in Kana Preface Continued:

- Fun’ya no Yasuhide (KKS 249) • About women’s love that’s possibly too clingy/overgrown - Beautiful words, but something doesn’t fit 2

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

• What doesn’t fit? - Language/words aren’t fit for Spring. - Impossible to have overgrown grasses/haze in Spring (more of an Autumn thing) - Why is the sun is darkening and hiding if it is supposed to be set in the Spring? • Critique: language is skillful, but his style is inappropriate to his content - Kisen (KKS 983) • About a monk who lives in seclusion, away from the capital (unusual because aristocrats usually lives close to the Emperor)

- Monk instead chose peace and reflection away from the city - He says that people who live like him (alone) may or may not be grieving (uncertain meaning)

- We don't know if he’s sad because he left his old life, or if it’s apart of his life as a monk to be sad and reflective

• Critique: Language is veiled, leaving us uncertain about his meaning. - Ono no Komachi poem • About a woman who is suffering from something. - Uncertain as to why she is unhappy • “Blossom that fades away, its color unseen…” - Possibly about losing someone that she loved - Could be a general (Buddhist) remark about this world: • People/peoples’ hearts are always changing, moving • Critique: Poetry has pathos, but lacks force, possibly due to her sex. - Otomo no Kuromushi/Kuromachi(?) (KKS 735)

3

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

• About a guy coming to a woman’s house and comparing himself to geese, trying to call her outside(?)

• Critique: His poetry is crude. (About flirting?)

4...