Comparative Literature 146b Classical East Asian Poetics Syllabus Fall 2017 {Tentative} This course will provide students with a basic introduction to the classic poetic traditions of China, Japan, and Korea. We will begin by surveying some of the major poetic traditions of China from antiquity to the Tang, paying particular attention to issues of canonization and classical theories of literature. Our examination of Japanese and Korean vernacular poetry will reach from the beginnings of written culture to the early 19 th century, but we will also consider the role that classical Chinese poetry played in each linguistic tradition. Our class meetings will typically begin with an introductory lecture that will help to put the literary works we read in their historical and cultural context. The focus of each class meeting, however, will be close reading and discussion of the texts. Students are therefore expected to read and reflect upon the assigned materials prior to class and to participate actively in discussion. Brief (one-page) response essays to the weekly readings are required at least three times during the semester. These are to be posted to the online discussion forums on LATTE. A short paper (about 5-7 pages in length) will be assigned halfway through the term that will provide a chance to explore primary works of the student s choice in greater analytical depth; suggested topics will be provided but students are welcome to formulate their own questions in consultation with the instructor. As a final project, each student will also be required to submit a comparative final paper (about 8-10 pages in length) that will require students to engage poetic works in two linguistic traditions. Both writing assignments will be evaluated for their coherence, critical argumentation, persuasiveness, and thoroughness of engagement with the material. Success in this four-credit course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.). Grades will be determined as follows: Attendance and class participation 10% Participation in the online discussion forum 10% Quizzes 10% Short Paper 30% Long Paper 40% Instructor: Prof. Matthew Fraleigh Mail: fraleigh@brandeis.edu Phone: 6-3229 Class: M, W 5:00 6:20 Office: Mandel 115 Hours: M 1:00 3:00 Disabilities: If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately. Academic Integrity: You are expected to be familiar with and to follow the University s policies on academic integrity (see http://www.brandeis.edu/studentlife/sdc/ai). All suspected instances of dishonesty will be referred to the Office of Student Development and Conduct. Instances of academic dishonesty may result in sanctions including but not limited to, failing grades being issued, educational programs, and other consequences. p. 1
Late Work: Extensions are not granted except in cases of medical or family emergency. Late work will be penalized one grade per day late; e.g. a paper turned that would have earned an A- had it been turned in on time Monday becomes a B+ if turned in Tuesday, a B if turned in Wednesday etc. Required Textbooks Barnstone, Tony and Chou Ping. The Anchor Book of Chinese Poetry. Anchor, 2005. [ABCP] Lee, Peter H. The Columbia Anthology of Traditional Korean Poetry. Columbia UP, 2002. [TKP] Carter, Steven D. Traditional Japanese Poetry: an Anthology. Stanford UP, 1991. [TJP] Week One Virtual Meeting Wednesday August 30: Overview of class aims and policies, self-introductions Week Two Monday September 4 (Labor Day): no class Wednesday September 6: East Asian Poetry and Translation Ungar, Steven. Writing in Tongues: Thoughts on the Work of Translation. In Haun Saussy, ed. Comparative Literature in an Age of Globalization. Johns Hopkins UP, 2006. 127-138. Appiah, Kwame Anthony. Thick Translation. In Venuti, ed. The Translation Studies Reader. Routledge, 2004. 389-401. Benjamin, Walter. The Task of the Translator. In Venuti, ed. 75-85. Selections from Sato, Hiroaki. One Hundred Frogs: From Matsuo Basho to Allen Ginsberg. Weatherhill, 1995. Week Three Shi jing (The Classic of Poetry) Monday September 11 ABCP, xxxix-lxxii Selections from Stephen Owen, An Anthology of Chinese Literature (Norton, 1996), pp. 3-71. Wednesday September 13: The Classic of Poetry ABCP, 3-12 Selections from Arthur Waley, trans. The Book of Songs (Grove, 1987) Week Four Chu ci (Lyrics of Chu) Monday September 18: Jiu ge (The Nine Songs) Owen, An Anthology of Chinese Literature, pp. 155-162. p. 2
Hawkes, David. The Songs of the South: an Ancient Chinese Anthology of Poems by Qu Yuan and Other Poets. Penguin, 1985. Introduction. Pp. 15-66. Nine Songs 95-122. Wednesday September 20: Li Sao (On Encountering Sorrow) ABCP, 18-26. Hawkes, David. The Songs of the South: an Ancient Chinese Anthology of Poems by Qu Yuan and Other Poets. Penguin, 1985. Li Sao. Pp. 67-95. Week Five Tao Yuanming [Tao Qian] Monday September 25: ABCP, pp. 75-84 Selections from: Tian, Xiaofei. Tao Yuanming & Manuscript Culture: The Record of a Dusty Table. U of Washington P, 2006. Wednesday September 27: Traditional Chinese Literary Theory Owen, An Anthology of Chinese Literature, pp. 335-361. Week Six High Tang, Mid-Tang Monday October 2: Wang Wei and Li Bo [Bai] ABCP, pp. 99-129. Versano, Paula. Tracking the Banished Immortal: the Poetry of Li Bo and Its Critical Reception. U of Hawaii P, 2003. Chapter 2 To Study the Unlearnable: Li Bo in the Canon: Mid-Ming to Early Republic. Pp. 88-140. Wednesday October 4: Du Fu; [Bai] Bo Juyi ABCP, pp. 130-150 ABCP, pp. 166-182 Week Seven Late Tang Monday October 9: Li He, Han Shan, Du Mu, and Li Shang-yin ABCP, pp. 191-206 Wednesday October 11: no class Short Paper (5-7 pages) due Wednesday October 18 Tao Yuanming and his contemporary Xie Lingyun are both remembered for their love of, attention to, and poetic evocation of nature. Among the High Tang poets, Wang Wei is likewise celebrated for his poetry of p. 3
nature. Translations of some further poems by Tao Yuanming and Wang Wei, as well as a selection of the poetry of Xie Lingyun are available on Latte. Choosing two of these poets, discuss the similarities and differences you see in the vision of nature that each constructs. Make sure to support your argument with close analytical readings of the poetry. Week Eight Japanese Poetry in Chinese: Kanshi (Sinitic Poetry) Monday October 16: McCullough, Helen Craig. Brocade by Night: Kokin wakashū and the court style in Japanese classical poetry. Stanford UP, 1985. Chapter 1 The Chinese Heritage pp. 1-71. Wednesday October 18: (short papers due) Selections from Rabinovitch, Judith and Bradstock, Timothy. Dance of the butterflies: Chinese poetry from the Japanese court tradition. Cornell UP, 2005. Week Nine Japanese Poetry: The Ancient Age Monday October 23: Miner, Earl. An Introduction to Japanese Court Poetry. Stanford UP, 1968. pp. 36-54. Carter, pp. 17-43. Wednesday October 25: Carter, pp. 44-72. Selections from Cranston, Edwin. The Gem-Glistening Cup. Stanford UP. Week Ten Japanese Poetry: The Classical Age Monday October 30: Wixted, John Timothy. Chinese Influences on the Kokinshū Prefaces, in Laurel R. Rodd and Mary C. Henkenius, trans. Kokinshū: A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern. Princeton UP, 1984. Ueda, Makoto. Poetry as Emotional Expression: Tsurayuki on the Art of Lyric Poetry. Literary and Art Theories in Japan. Western Reserve UP, 1967. pp. 1-24. Carter, pp. 73-107. Wednesday November 1: Miner, Earl. An Introduction to Japanese Court Poetry. Stanford UP, 1968. pp. 36-54. Carter, pp. 108-124. p. 4
Week Eleven Japanese Poetry: Renga / Renku Monday November 6: Ueda, Makoto. Verse-Writing as a Game: Yoshimoto on the Art of Linked Verse. Literary and Art Theories in Japan. Western Reserve UP, 1967. pp. 37-54. Carter, pp. 303-326 Wednesday November 8: Carter, pp. 331-337 Week Twelve Japanese Poetry: Haiku Monday November 13: Ueda, Makoto. Impersonality in Poetry: Bashō on the Art of the Haiku. In Ibid, pp. 145-172. Carter, pp. 345-389 Wednesday November 15: Carter, pp. 390-422 Carter, pp. 440-446 Week Thirteen Korean Poetry in Chinese Monday November 20: Lee, pp. 201-262 Wednesday November 22: {no class} Week Fourteen Korean Poetry Monday November 27: Hyangga and Koryo Songs Lee, pp. 7-28 Lee, pp. 29-56 Wednesday November 29: Sijo (13 th to 16 th century) Lee, pp. 69-109 Week Fifteen Korean Poetry Monday December 4: Sijo (17 th century to 19 th century) Lee, pp. 109-147 p. 5
Wednesday December 6: Conclusion / East Asian Poetry in the West Final Papers due: Friday December 8 p. 6