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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Defining The Feminine Impact On The Progression Of Japanese Language: An Inquiry Into The Development Of Heian Period Court Diaries, Michele Gibney
Defining The Feminine Impact On The Progression Of Japanese Language: An Inquiry Into The Development Of Heian Period Court Diaries, Michele Gibney
Michele Gibney
From the split of the private and public lives of gender divides, men lived on the outside imbibing Chinese language styles, while women on the inside established and preserved a uniquely Japanese form of language. This paper asserts the theory that the Heian period was one of the first times in which the schism was produced through the female’s power to embody a written language which the Japanese could claim as their own independently of the effect from other cultures. In its focus this paper aspires to analyze the public/private, male/female origins by placing them within the Heian period, from …
Ono No Komachi: Love And Desire, Michele Gibney
Ono No Komachi: Love And Desire, Michele Gibney
Michele Gibney
The poetry of Ono no Komachi can be read in many lights. The two ways in which I feel its message and context can be best appreciated are through feminine independence and masculine subjection. Ono no Komachi wrote poetry that was evocative of the feminine ideal of longing for a male, but she also wrote poetry which denigrated the need for a woman to rely on a male. Through a self-critical reader analysis of some of her poems, I will show that Komachi’s poetry can be read as comprising a longing for the world of men, and men in particular, …
Evolving Hinduism: Comparing The Bhagavad Gītā, Michele Gibney
Evolving Hinduism: Comparing The Bhagavad Gītā, Michele Gibney
Michele Gibney
Hinduism was a semi-fluid belief system in the medieval period of India. At first it was built around the Brahmin class who were the priests that had the ritual authority to perform elaborate sacrifices for the other three caste levels. There was also then the canon of Vedic literature, one aspect of which was the Upanişads. The Upanişads preached a solitary, hermit-like existence which emphasized meditation. This produced a strong ascetic body, but did not contribute to the continuation of society as a whole. The Upanişads themselves were a reaction to the earlier traditions of priestly worship and predominance of …
The Fragmentation Of Self Within The Indian Novel, Michele Gibney
The Fragmentation Of Self Within The Indian Novel, Michele Gibney
Michele Gibney
With the novel Midnight’s Children, Rushdie forged a new path for novel-writing. In his epic story the main character became split into two in order to show the many facets of Indian culture. Instead of gaining an understanding of just one way of life, the reader became privy to all the stories being lived in such places as the Methwold estates, the surreal Sundarbans, and the Magician’s Ghetto. The story of one, single individual was lost in the cacophony of voices that each had their own tale to tell in Rushdie’s novel. This new form of writing, which favored the …
The World Seduces Man. His Home Grounds Him., Michele Gibney
The World Seduces Man. His Home Grounds Him., Michele Gibney
Michele Gibney
Between Untouchable and The Bachelor of Arts there is a world of difference in the basic situations of the main characters. One is an uneducated street sweeper and the other is a University graduate, and both have a different conception of the British. However, there is also a common thread that unites the two novels in the main characters concluding acceptance of the “home”/India over the “world”/England. Thus, although different values are assigned to the importance of British colonialism within the texts, in the end each novel comes to a stand wherein Indian culture is favored over the British.
The Setting Sun: Japanese Post-War Sensibility, Michele Gibney
The Setting Sun: Japanese Post-War Sensibility, Michele Gibney
Michele Gibney
Osamu Dazai wrote The Setting Sun in the years directly following the end of World War II. The effects of Japan’s defeat in the War were clearly still felt, as evidenced by the characters and situations being expressed in this novel. In looking at the novel through a historical lens, I plan on placing it within the greater context of the times. I view Dazai’s work as a masterpiece at evoking the feelings that were seething beneath Japan’s conquered surface. In consequence of this, I believe that by examining the words, actions, and feelings of the characters, one can extend …
Spiritual Quest In Hojoki And Hosshinshu And The Duality Of Art And Religion, Michele Gibney
Spiritual Quest In Hojoki And Hosshinshu And The Duality Of Art And Religion, Michele Gibney
Michele Gibney
The individual’s quest for enlightenment in Japan is a serious one. One such individual from the medieval Japanese period will be the subject of this paper. Kamo no Chomei, a recluse, poet, and priest who lived from 1155-1216 strove to attain a religious awakening of the mind during the latter half of his life. The question of whether he succeeded or not is a difficult one to answer, however, by examining two of his major works—Hojoki and Hosshinshu—the nature of Chomei’s quest should become clearer. Although I do not believe Chomei found the enlightenment he sought; the quest itself and …