“The Kagero Diary,” is the autobiographical recordings of a Japanese woman from the tenth century. The book is translated by Sonja Arntzen from the original. In the Introduction to his revised translation of Kagero nikki, which he called The Gossamer Years, Edward Seidensticker argued that the worst sin of a translator. Watanabe: Kagero nikki later addition, hence this passage, coming as it does immediately after the preface, can be taken as the true beginning of the diary.
| Author: | Kajora Samutaur |
| Country: | Tunisia |
| Language: | English (Spanish) |
| Genre: | Finance |
| Published (Last): | 13 April 2012 |
| Pages: | 365 |
| PDF File Size: | 4.70 Mb |
| ePub File Size: | 7.94 Mb |
| ISBN: | 850-9-45714-854-5 |
| Downloads: | 21874 |
| Price: | Free* [*Free Regsitration Required] |
| Uploader: | Sahn |
The evolution of the Japanese ego: ‘The Gossamer Years’
Although this book can be described as beautiful in regard to the prose or the poetry, this book is not just a rose coloured look at life in the Heian age for a woman married to a nobleman of the ti The one thing which will stay with me about this book is the emotion within it.
Most of it was made up of recordings of her marital life, the constant bickering and the back and forth letters and poems between them. Apr 10, CF rated it liked it Shelves: It is amazing to think that it was written as long ago as This review will consist of two parts, a response to the actual material and the work of the translator.
A timeless and intimate glimpse into the culture of ancient Japan, this translation by Edward Seidensticker paints a revealing picture of married life in the Heian period.
For example, her husband did not live with her but maintained a visiting statues. Refresh and try again. Lists with This Book.
However, having read “The Tale of Genji,” I decided to have a go with this formidable diary because it “belongs to the same period as the celebrated Tale of Genji” and it “offers a timeless and intimate glimpse into the culture of ancient Japan. He has a child with his first wife who tries her best to win Fujiwara back.
He repeatedly rode his carriage past her gate without stopping, with one of his new paramours in company, and the author cannot understand what happened to all his protestations of devotion as immortal as the moon.
Many readers will find her unsympathetic, but I don’t think the book should be judged by that. It’s all social strictures, ceremony and sur A noblewoman of Heian Japan gets taken on as a second wife. We’ll have to wait until mid-April to learn the name of Japan’s new era The government is likely to announce the name of the next era in mid-April, ahead of the May 1 change of the name from the current Heisei, according to informed sources.
The Kagero Diary: A Woman’s Autobiographical Text from Tenth-century… Summary & Study Guide
Thanks for telling us about the problem. Shonagon lived at the court with the Empress and didn’t seem to venture much into the real world, this woman lived in a house, attended by ladies-in-waiting and she seemed to have gone on many pilgrimages to sites and temples during her life.
Pressed by her family into an advantageous marriage, she joined, without enthusiasm but also without repugnance, the small harem of a kagerp member of the most powerful family of the time. Jun 07, Judith rated it liked it Kahero I started to hikki worn out by the footnotes, tried this method, and it worked for me. This remarkably frank autobiographical diary and personal confession attempts to describe a difficult relationship as it reveals two tempestuous decades of the author’s unhappy marriage and her growing indignation at rival wives and mistresses.
The Heian taste for self-pity, also a feature of The Tale of Genji, is somewhat hard to take, but seems to be part of the aesthetic package.
In an attempt to find solace, the Mother of Michitsuna makes pilgrimages to temples and mountains of religious importance. This is also the reason I read it, because I am writing a paper This book is an autobiography of sorts. It is not native to the culture.
Surely she has enough to occupy her time? Few societies are kind to women. nikkl
KagerÅ Nikki – Wikipedia
There is something morbid about selfhood in Japan. Women are crazy, he says to the officials. The third installment will appear in March, the fourth in April. In fact, I have had this paperback nikik since some years ago, I recall I tried to read a few pages and gave up then because I thought it was not interesting and beyond me.
I felt he did a marvelous job both translating the diary into English and being completely transparent with the reader when he himself encountered translation obstacles like mutilated text. I found the sad ramblings of the author unbearable at times, but I overlooked it, and I’m glad that I did.
Jun 17, Wendy rated it liked it. It was not the easiest, most entertaining read, but you really get a sense of lifestyle that the noble women had.
Mar 19, Patricia rated it it was amazing Shelves: I also disliked his translation of Genji. Part of the joy I took in the book was in the poetry.
It’s also almost overwhelmingly cool to me that a woman who lived more than a thousand years distant from me can seem so relateable.