As we wind up our year honoring Japan¡¯s women writers, where better to end than where it began?
The two greatest works of literature in Japan¡¯s Heian Period (794-1185) were both penned by women: ¡°The Pillow Book¡± by Sei Shonagon and ¡°The Tale of Genji¡± by Murasaki Shikibu. No Japanese literary education is complete without considering these two works, and there are various English translations for both.
¡°The Pillow Book¡± retains a modern freshness, despite being written over 1,000 years ago, partly because it appeals to the modern trend of narrative voyeurism. It¡¯s a behind-the-scenes peek into the life of a Heian court lady-in-waiting, Shonagon. Like reality TV or modern vloggers, she¡¯s the star of her own life. Her humorous jottings, acerbic wit and deft descriptions of the court capture a unique time and place alongside the universality of personal human experience.
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