1. Introduction to Japanese Literature and Fumiko Enchi

2. Manyoshu and Kokinshu eras Dominated by women writers –Manyoshu – 8 th century –Kokinshu – 9 th century –People are often surprised to discover that early Japanese literature was dominated by women writers. –Often this is associated with the freedom and relatively high political and economic position women enjoyed during these periods.

3. Heian Period (794-1185) Women moved increasingly into domestic roles, yet, they continued to be central to Japanese Writing. Especially important to their writing was the shift toward confessional or journal writing. The Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book, two of the most famous Japanese classics were written by women during this period.

4. Feudal Times in Japan 1168-1603 The dark ages of literature by women. Women were completely confined to the domestic space and suffered from the widespread practice of polygamy. There was a long period of silence during which women lost their place in Japanese Literature.

5. Language One of the things that separated women and men’s literature was the division of languages – Men wrote in Chinese, (kanji) women in Japanese (kana).

6. Edo – 1603-1868 Dominated by neo-confucianism and the samuri class, which established its political supremacy on “masculine” principles. Women writers and women’s themes remained dormant during this period.

7. Meiji Period (1868-1912) Taisho Period (1912-1926) Resurgence of women’s writing During Meiji there was increasing emphasis on educating women. Their increased literacy led to an increase in writing and publication. But, women writers were placed in a separate category, isolated from the real world of literature, the masculine world. There were women’s literary prizes and a whole “genre” of work called joryu bungaku, or women’s writing, that was segregated from the tradition of “good” or “best” or “Japanese” writing.

8. Feminine Writing Women were encouraged to write in the feminine style about feminine topics. Some female writers became famous because the overcame their femininity and were able to “write like a man.” Though there was a “New Woman” in Japan, as well as in the West, one who wrote about the female ego in its pursuit of self-fulfillment and self-expression, there was more discrimination against the woman writer in Japan than in the West.

9. Enchi Like their Western counterparts, Japanese women began to explore the subconscious realm of the female psyche. Enchi started her career as a writer in the leftist tradition. Then there was a long period of silence due to health problems. When she began to write again, she focused almost exclusively on the female psyche.

10. Women Writers P. 13 of Ericson Are there female and male sensibilities in writing? What might they be? Can we take two US writers – say James and Wharton or Faulkner and Welty or two others you know, and say that they write differently based on gender?