JPNB83 Modern Japanese literature

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
1/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Marcel Koníček, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Marek Mikeš, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Marek Mikeš, Ph.D.
Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The goal of the course is to introduce to the students the main trends, genres and authors of modern Japanese literature (after the year 1868) in the context of Japanese society and history. It focuses on the main phenomena of Japanese literary history, introduces the principal literary works and shows the relationship between Japanese literary production and the societal situation in Japan.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, a student will be able to:
  • Periodise Modern Japanese literature and list the specifics of all periods
  • Orient oneself in main literary movements and relationships between them
  • Present insight into the most important authors from the 2nd half of 19th century up to 21st century
  • Describe the relationship of literary production to the state power at various times in history
  • Name the prominent authors of modern literature, their works and their position in the literary community
  • Show deeper knowledge of the way Japanese literary field worked at various times • Showcase understanding of main forms of Japanese literary expression both prozaic and poetic
    • Syllabus
    • 1. Introduction: What do we mean by modern literature? Periodisation, basic terms and outline of topics
    • 2. The birth of modern literature – transition from Edo to Meiji and the issue of the language (genbun itchi)
    • 3. Romantism, realism and naturalism in the Japanese context; watakushi shōsetsu
    • 4. Activist literature of the 1st half of 20th century: Shirakaba-ha, Blue Stockings and proletarian literature
    • 5. Shinkankaku–ha – modernism searching for "new literature", its rise and fall
    • 6. Modern poetry, its birth, functions and transformations in the pre-war period
    • 7. Reaction to the Second World War – war trauma, hibaku literature, Arechi poetry group
    • 8. Pre-war veterans and the generations of Postwar Writers
    • 9. Little Heian – female authors of the Shōwa literature
    • 10. "The end of pure literature" – 70s literature vs Murakami's generation
    • 11. Bundan – literary establishment, tradition of literary polemics and the literary field
    • 12. Postmodernist literature, exophonic literature and minority literature
    Literature
      required literature
    • LÍMAN, Antonín. Krajiny japonské duše : patnáct esejů o moderní japonské literatuře. 2., rozšířené a revidova. Praha: DharmaGaia, 2018, 361 stran. ISBN 9788074360886. info
    • WINKELHÖFEROVÁ, Vlasta. Slovník japonské literatury. 1. vyd. Praha: Libri, 2008, 335 s. ISBN 9788072773732. info
      recommended literature
    • ANTHONY BRINK, Dean. Japanese Poetry and its Publics: From Colonial Taiwan to Fukushima. London: Taylor and Francis, 2017. ISBN 1-351-39771-0.
    • STRECHER, Matthew Carl. The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2014. ISBN 978-0-8166-9198-2.
    • MURAKAMI, Fuminobu. Postmodern, Feminist and Postcolonial Currents in Contemporary Japanese Culture: A Reading of Murakami Haruki, Yoshimoto Banana, Yoshimoto Takaaki and Karatani Kojin. Milton Park: Routledge, 2005. ISBN 0-415-35807-8.
    • Ōe and beyond : fiction in contemporary Japan. Edited by Stephen Snyder - J. Philip Gabriel. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 1999, vii, 317. ISBN 0824820401. info
    • KEENE, Donald. Dawn to the West : Japanese literature of the modern era. New York: Columbia University Press, 1998, xiv, 1329. ISBN 9780231114349. info
    • KARATANI, Kōjin. Origins of modern Japanese literature. Translated by Brett de Bary. Durham: Duke University Press, 1993, xx, 219. ISBN 9780822313236. info
    Teaching methods
    The course consists of lectures (delivered in two-lecture blocs every other week). Questions from the students and their imput into discussion are welcome. After every bloc a reading will be assigned to the students, either from primary or secondary literature, about which they have to write a small text in ELF (cca 200 words) discussing the reading in the context of the previous lectures. To this text they will be given feedback by the lecturer.
    Assessment methods
    The course assesment will be divided into two parts: assesment of replies to assigned readings in ELF (30%) and final written exam in the form of a multiple-choice test (70%).
    Language of instruction
    Czech
    Further Comments
    The course is taught every other week.
    The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2025.
    • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2026, recent)
    • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2026/JPNB83