How Dark Is My Flower: Yosano Akiko and the Invention of Romantic Love

Yosano Akiko's poetry explores the many aspects of love, including romantic encounters, mutual infatuation, and true love. It also grapples with jealousy and unrequited passion, as Akiko competes with her best friend for the affection of a young literary lion. How Dark Is My Flower: Yosano Akiko and the Invention of Romantic Love explores the real-life romance, the journey from romanticism to modernism, and the innovations in diction and style in Akiko's work that transformed the tanka genre. It breaks new ground in the study of modern Japanese literature by examining the invention and evolution of romantic love.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 30 January 2023
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

The poetry of Yosano Akiko encompasses a vast spectrum of emotions and experiences related to love, ranging from the initial romantic encounters between the lover and beloved to the profound pleasures of mutual infatuation and ultimately, true love. Within her verse, Akiko delves into the complexities of human relationships, exploring themes of jealousy, unrequited passion, and the intense rivalry between herself and her best friend, the poet Yamakawa Tomiko. This poem-narrative vividly depicts the competition between Akiko and Tomiko for the affection of a charismatic young literary lion named Yosano Tekkan, who later became Akiko's husband. Thus, How Dark Is My Flower: Yosano Akiko and the Invention of Romantic Love unfolds a captivating tapestry of narratives. It explores a real-life romance that unfolds within the poetry of these three poets, while also tracing the journey from romanticism to modernism undertaken by early 20th-century Japanese poetry.

Moreover, How Dark Is My Flower highlights the remarkable innovations in diction, style, and content that transformed the tanka genre from a conservative and traditional form of verse into something daring and contemporary. This book delves into the realm of poetry, particularly focusing on the tanka genre, in the evolution of modernism in Japanese literature. It breaks new ground in the study of modern Japanese literature by examining the invention and evolution of the concept of romantic love.

Through her poetry, Yosano Akiko offered a profound exploration of the human heart, capturing the essence of love, desire, and the complexities of interpersonal relationships. Her work continues to resonate with readers, inspiring and challenging them to embrace the beauty and complexities of love in their own lives.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472055753