Origins of Modern Japanese Literature

Origins of Modern Japanese Literature, a critical essay written by Japan''s famous scholar Kojin Karatani in the mid-1970s, was published in a literary magazine. Completed in 1980, it has been highly regarded as classics standing for the level of Japanese criticism in the postmodernism. It influences the world widely as English, German, Korean and Turkish versions were published in succession. The book consists of eight chapters, the formation processes of Japanese modern literary unique ideas and methods such as scenery, inner face(heart), confession, morbidity, Children and structural stress(literary narration) are discussed respectively. It excavates "e;birth"e; of literary modernity from Japanese literature in Meiji 20s and western literature in the 19th century. Analysis of literary modernity reveals collusive relations between the birth of Japanese modern literature and system building of nation-sate, as well as its own institutional character. These writing strategies of analyzing literary modernity through criticism demonstrate Kojin Karatani''s outstanding intelligence and keen insight provide precious referenced information about reconstruction of belletristic thinking ways and interpretative architecture.

Origins of Modern Japanese Literature, a critical essay written by Japan''s famous scholar Kojin Karatani in the mid-1970s, was published in a literary magazine. Completed in 1980, it has been highly regarded as classics standing for the level of Japanese criticism in the postmodernism. It influences the world widely as English, German, Korean and Turkish versions were published in succession. The book consists of eight chapters, the formation processes of Japanese modern literary unique ideas and methods such as scenery, inner face(heart), confession, morbidity, Children and structural stress(literary narration) are discussed respectively. It excavates "e;birth"e; of literary modernity from Japanese literature in Meiji 20s and western literature in the 19th century. Analysis of literary modernity reveals collusive relations between the birth of Japanese modern literature and system building of nation-sate, as well as its own institutional character. These writing strategies of analyzing literary modernity through criticism demonstrate Kojin Karatani''s outstanding intelligence and keen insight provide precious referenced information about reconstruction of belletristic thinking ways and interpretative architecture.