ASCL 60.22 Gender, Sexuality, and Power in Premodern Japan
With a mythical transgendered Sun Goddess, amorous noblemen in pursuit of beautiful ladies, vengeful women wreaking revenge on unfaithful lovers, and Buddhist priests and samurai in same-sex love affairs, classical Japanese literature is populated by figures with a surprisingly diverse range of gender types. The course will cover, in chronological order, myths, courtly tales, poetry, martial epics, ghostly drama, and medieval short stories from the 8th to 16th centuries, and through these texts depicting the interrelationship of gender, sexuality, and power, students will come to an understanding of how historical, political, linguistic and cultural forces shape subjectivity. The course is open to all students; it is taught in English and there are no pre-requisites.