Heian Literature and Japanese Court Women

This short lecture discusses about two of the most famous works of literature in Japanese history, both written by court women during the Heian period (794-1185): Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji and Sei Shonagon’s The Pillow Book. These works offer us great insight into both the literary culture of the day as well as the sequestered, hidden lives of Japanese elite women. Sources used: “Literature of the Heian Period: 794-1185.” Asia for Educators, Columbia University. http:// . Accessed 8 February 2016. Murasaki Shikibu. The Tale of Genji. Translated by Royall Tyler. New York: Viking Press, 2001. Sei Shonagon. Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon: The Diary of a Courtesan in Tenth Century Japan. Translated by Arthur Waley. Foreword by Dennis Washburn. New York: Tuttle Publishing, 2011. *********************** The Ohio State University’s East Asian Studies Center (EASC) and Columbus State Community College (CSCC) collaborated to develop modules on Japanese history to be incorporate