Unit 2 Questions
- Often our interpretation of and expectations toward a work of literature are affected by our understanding of genre. Before learning about the form of ukiyo-zōshi, what “genre” would you say the stories by Saikaku belong to? Are they works of “fiction” as we understand the term today? How does Saikaku make use of other elements such as poetry, reportage, religious sermons, etc. to craft his account?
- What is the role of the narrator in Five Sensuous Women? How seriously are we supposed to take the moral exhortations that are periodically offered? Does our narrator have any sympathy for Osan’s plight? Is the propagation of morality really the narrator’s highest concern?
- What role does gender play in the two stories you read for today? Is there any way to reconcile the themes and conclusions of Osan’s story with that of Yonosuke?
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- Workshop Ronae Matriano