Japanese Poetry: Beyond the Haiku

Haiku is perhaps the most well-known genre of Japanese poetry; its short form and ability to capture and communicate scenes has prompted people outside of Japan to read and compose this form of poetry in different languages. However, haiku is one part of a history of poetry within Japan that spans over a thousand years; as such, the very things that have helped haiku capture the popular imagination outside of Japan emerge from that history. In this course students will read  from four of the major genres of premodern Japanese poetry--kanshi (Chinese poetry), waka (court poetry), renga (linked verse), and haikai.

The course will introduce some of the major poets of these respective genres and the aesthetic terms used to discuss the poetry and, through class discussions, will examine the ways in which poetic topics and tropes are developed and maintained among the four genres.