The Romanticism of 17th Century Japanese Poetry

A Romantic look at Zen poetry examining the historical situation and developments in Japan and pointing out parallels between English Romanticism and the poetics of the Kambun and Genroku periods, and especially the shomon poets of the Japanese 17th century. The text also aims to illuminate the way in which extra-poetic forces shaped the poetry of an age, with a comparison of poetic expression between cultures entirely isolated from each other.