English 3325-2052

Asian Literature in Translation

Office: Irby 118B

Office Hours: T Th 1.30-4.30

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Asian Literature in Translation introduces students to both a classic and a contemporary work of three major Asian literary traditions (Indian, Chinese, and Japanese) and asks them to develop a method of reading texts whose mimetic is radically different than the average student’s inherited Anglo-American one. Emphasis is upon reading as the exploration of cultural difference.

TEXTS

Terrence McNally, Love! Valour! Compassion! and A Perfect Ganesh (Dutton/Plume)

R. K. Narayan, The Ramayana (Penguin)

R. K. Narayan, Malgudi Days (Penguin)

Wu Ch’eng-en, Monkey, trans. Arthur Waley (Grove/Atlantic)

Gao Xingjian, Soul Mountain, trans. Mabel Lee (HarperCollins)

Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of Genji, trans. and abridged by Edward Seidensticker (Vintage)

Yasunari Kawabata, Thousand Cranes, trans. Edward Seidensticker (Random House)

SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Th 8 Jan. Introduction to Course

Tu 13 Jan. McNally, Perfect Ganesh, Act I

Th 15 Jan. " Act II

Tu 20 Jan. Ramayana, pp. 1-64

Th 22 Jan. " pp. 65-95

Tu 27 Jan. " pp. 97-149

Th 29 Jan. " pp. 151-71

Tu 3 Feb. Narayan, Malgudi Days, pp.1-85

Th 5 Feb. " pp. 86-164

Tu 10 Feb. " pp. 165-253

Th 12 Feb. EXAMINATION #1

Tu 17 Feb. Wu, Monkey, pp. 11-84

Th 19 Feb. " pp. 85-158

Tu 24 Feb. " pp. 159-233

Th 26 Feb. " pp. 234-305

Tu 2 Mar. Gao, Soul Mountain, pp. 1-100

Th 4 Mar. " pp. 101-97

Tu 9 Mar. " pp. 198-299

Th 11 Mar. " pp. 300-96

Tu 16 Mar. " pp. 397-506

Th 18 Mar. EXAMINATION #2

SPRING RECESS

Tu 30 Mar. Murasaki, Tale of Genji, pp. 1-64

Th 1 Apr. " pp. 65-145

FILM: Tale of Genji (anime version)

Tu 6 Apr. " pp. 146-230

Th 8 Apr. " pp. 231-78

Tu 13 Apr. " pp. 279-360

Th 15 Apr. Kawabata, Thousand Cranes, pp. 1-39

Tu 20 Apr. " pp. 40-113

Th 22 Apr. " pp. 114-47

Th 29 Apr. (2-4 p.m.): FINAL EXAMINATION

EVALUATION

The final grade for this course will be computed as follows: exam #1 (20%), exam #2 (25 %), final comprehensive exam (30%), and quiz average (25%). Any penalty for excessive absence and/or tardiness will be deducted from the final average.