The Very Short Introductions Podcast Japanese Literature – The Very Short Introductions Podcast – Episode 70
Jun 8, 2023
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Discovering Kokoro in High School
- Alan Tansman discovered Japanese literature in high school through the novel Kokoro by Natsume Soseki.
- The novel felt both familiar and exotic, expressing modern human suffering in a new cultural context.
Buddhist Influence on Literature
- Buddhism's emphasis on impermanence deeply influences Japanese literature's themes.
- This differs from the philosophical roots seen in European and Latin American literatures.
Women Writers' Key Role
- Japanese literature prominently features women writers from its earliest works.
- The Tale of Genji, often called the world's first novel, was written by a woman in the 11th century.