Moments in Japanese Poetry from the Beginnings to Today

This seminar explores the history of Japanese poetry through close reading of specific poems, poets, and anthologies that mark pivotal moments, watersheds, and turning points in the tradition. Rather than attempting comprehensive coverage, we will focus on texts that crystallize key transformations: the Man'yōshū's early experiments, the Kokinshū's codification of waka aesthetics, the Wakan rōeishū's integration of Japanese and Chinese poetics, Bashō's haikai reinventions, and the ruptures of Meiji-era free verse, and more. Each "moment" serves as an intensive site for investigating broader questions about poetic form, literary tradition, translation, and cultural exchange. Readings in translation with attention to the challenges and possibilities of cross-linguistic interpretation. No prior knowledge of Japanese required.