Japanese literature (classical period) 3600-JA-LJOK-OW
The aim of the lecture is to familiarise students with the history of Japanese literature and its cultural and social contexts, from the adoption of Chinese writing and Buddhism in the 6th/7th century up to the end of the 19th century. In the presentation of the ancient period (Nara, 8th century), particular attention is paid to the development of poetry collected in the Man’yōshū anthology and to the myths recorded in early chronicles. In the late ancient period (Heian era, 9th–12th centuries), emphasis is placed on court tales (especially Genji monogatari, 1008), literary diaries, and imperial anthologies (Kokin wakashū, 905).
In the medieval period (12th–16th centuries), the focus is on war tales (Heike monogatari, c. 1240) and the poetry of the Shinkokin wakashū (1205). In the early modern period (17th–19th centuries), the social conditions that enabled the popularisation of literature are explained. Among the numerous writers and playwrights of this era, particular attention is devoted to the works of Ihara Saikaku, Ueda Akinari, and Matsuo Bashō.
The knowledge conveyed in the course is interdisciplinary, with an emphasis on the interrelations between the natural environment, history, socio‑cultural transformations, and the major achievements of Japanese civilisation. The classes employ discussion-based methods that support practical engagement with the material through collective text analysis and workshop elements. The course combines lectures with presentations, discussions, and individual student work. These activities include critical reading of texts as well as independent organisation, interpretation, and integration of acquired knowledge.
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
The student knows:
K_W03 — at an advanced level, the most important literary phenomena, movements, and texts of Japan.
K_W04 — at an advanced level, the influence and role of Japan’s historical processes, religions, and philosophical systems in shaping contemporary conditions.
Skills
The student is able to:
K_U02 — use concepts from the fields of Japanese literature, history, philosophy, and religion at an advanced level, and apply this knowledge to the analysis and interpretation of contemporary world events.
K_U04 — read and interpret literary texts and other forms of cultural production (film, press, socially oriented writing) from Japan, correctly situating them within their cultural context, and analyse, compare, and identify relationships between them and issues of tradition and modernity.
Social competences
The student is ready to:
K_K02 — explore cultural diversity, its sources, and its significance for the contemporary world.
K_K03 — reflect on the place and significance of Japanese culture within global culture.
K_K04 — engage in activities aimed at making Japanese cultural and linguistic heritage accessible and promoting it.
K_K05 — recognise the socio‑cultural values of Japan that may contribute to personal development and effective intercultural communication.
Assessment criteria
A written exam covering the entire course material. Attendance is required (up to two unexcused absences are permitted).
A total prohibition on electronic devices applies to all exams. The use of any unauthorized aids, including artificial intelligence tools, is considered a violation of academic integrity.
Bibliography
Literature
Mikołaj Melanowicz, Historia literatury japońskiej [History of Japanese Literature], PWN, 2011.
Wiesław Kotański, Dziesięć tysięcy liści. Antologia literatury japońskiej [Ten Thousand Leaves: Anthology of Japanese Literature], PWN, 1961.
Donald Keene, Seeds in the Heart: Japanese Literature from Earliest Times to the Late Sixteenth Century, 1993.
Paul Varley, Kultura japońska [Japanese Culture], Jagiellonian University Press, 2006.
Iwona Kordzińska‑Nawrocka (ed.), Dziesięć wieków Genji monogatari w kulturze japońskiej [Ten Centuries of Genji monogatari in Japanese Culture], University of Warsaw Press, 2009.