Seminar in Classical Japanese: Medieval to Edo Period

In this seminar students will learn bungo, the original classical Japanese language, through close reading of legends, warrior tales, travel diaries, and essays from the 13th through the 17th century. The Medieval era marks the emergence of samurai sensibility inspired by Zen Buddhism in writings at the core of traditional culture. Students will master the orthography, vocabulary, and basic structures of pre-modern grammar in Medieval and Edo period texts, including the Hôjôki, Heike monogatari, and Basho's Oku no hosomichi. (Approval only) 3 hrs. sem.