The Modern Murasaki: Writing by Women of Meiji Japan

Asia Perspectives: History, Society, and Culture

by Rebecca L. Copeland (Editor), Melek Ortabasi (Editor)

The first anthology of its kind, The Modern Murasaki brings the vibrancy and rich imagination of women's writing from the Meiji period to English-language readers. Along with traditional prose, the editors have chosen and carefully translated short stories, plays, poetry, speeches, essays, and personal journal entries. Selected readings include writings by the public speaker Kishida Toshiko, the dramatist Hasegawa Shigure, the short-fiction writer Shimizu Shikin, the political writer Tamura Toshiko, and the novelists Miyake Kaho, Higuchi Ichiyo, Tazawa Inabune, Kitada Usurai, Nogami Yaeko, and Mizuno Senko. The volume also includes a thorough introduction to each reading, an extensive index listing historical, social, and literary concepts, and a comprehensive guide to further research.

The fierce tenor and bold content of these texts refute the popular belief that women of this era were passive and silent. A vital addition to courses in women's studies and Japanese literature and history, The Modern Murasaki is a singular resource for students and scholars.

Genres: Japan, Japanese Literature, History, Short Stories, Literature

424 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2006

Reviews

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for a bimonthly Japanese literature group called between the lines. We have been exploring the Meiji period return of women authors, poets, playwrights, essayists,and social activists. This was a great overview and introduction to the key women writers as they finally had a voice, literary salons, education.
Much recommended.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

For readers like me who have a longtime interest in Japanese history, culture, and literature but very little familiarity with specific female authors of the late 19th/early 20th centuries this book is a gem. Each of the ten writers' works are preceded by a introductory essay of 3-6 pages which describes their personal history, their writing styles, and the pieces presented in enough detail to be informative and yet not tedious. Like any collection some of the works are more interesting than others. But that is more a matter of my own personal tastes than a reflection of the quality of the writing. I came away with a sense that I had been provided with a representative sample of the kinds of work women writers were producing in that era. And also a feeling for the struggles women were having to find a place for themselves in the 'modern' Japan that was evolving in those days.

A great bonus of the book is the bibliography at the end. Thus, one can come away with suggestions for other collections of women Meiji and Taisho writers as well as a few works in English by some of these individual authors. Not only did I learn a lot while being entertained by these short stories and essays. I also have a list of other books to read related to this topic.

One cautionary note: those who have some familiarity with the history and politics of the Meiji period will probably appreciate this book more.

Addendum 11/24/2023: I re-read The Broken Ring in concert with my young Goodreads friend M who read it for a university course that she is taking. It is a 6 page short story published in 1899 about a young woman’s arranged marriage to an unfaithful husband. While the focus of the story is on the young woman’s distress, there are also brief references to the husband’s travails in being in a marriage that was not of his choosing as well. Readers will learn about the impact which arranged marriages in the late 19th century had on the partners.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the strongest anthologies I've had the pleasure to read. The period of time over which I read this should NOT be taken as an indication of the quality of these works: I chose not to pick this book up unless I had the energy and attention I felt these women deserved.

The Modern Murasaki is impeccably curated with an excellent variety of genres and styles being used to showcase some of the most prominent and influential female authors and feminist philosophers of the Meiji era. The introductions preceding each selection were perfect: detailed enough that the significance of the work and the influences of the author could be appreciated, but not so long as to be tedious.

I am very much looking forward to making use of the extensive list of recommended reading provided at the end of the book. I'm sure that anyone with an interest in literature or Japanese history will enjoy this immensely.

[Oleh · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book for anyone interested in the period, as it shows a seeming renaissance of women's literature (obviously, I can't name any Japanese female authors active from Kamakura period up until Meiji restoration, but this, in a way, proves the point). Most of all I was impressed by the writings of Mizuno Senko and Tamura Toshiko.