Jien and Yoshitsune : Their Poetical Exchange in the Winter of the 2nd Year of the Kenkyu Period

DOI Web Site

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 建久二年冬慈円・良経贈答歌考
  • 建久2年冬慈円・良経贈答歌考
  • ケンキュウ2ネン フユ ジエン ヨシツネ ゾウトウカコウ

Search this article

Abstract

A series of "waka" poems exchanged between the two poets Jien and Yoshitsune and later included in Shugyoku-shu were rendered in the 2nd Year of the Kenkyu Period when the ex-Emperor Goshirakawa was just on his deathbed. The reason for the extremely light tone of these poems is very political; while the ex-Emperor, who was on the bad terms with the Kujo Family, was dying, Touko, one of the family members, came back from his sickbed to imperial office. Although Jien was on the side of the Kujo Family, nevertheless as a priest he had to perform a prayer for the ex-Emperor's recovery. As a result, his subtle position made his poems strongly metaphorical and difficult to understand. I will show that Jien's poetical ambivalence is not due to some playful literary technique, as is often said, but to the very political situation in which the poet was involved.

Journal

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top