Paper short abstract:

In this paper I take broader look at the practice of satire in early modern Japan, exploring how writers drew on different literary forms to create new satirical meanings and disseminate information about current events.

Paper long abstract:

Satire can be seen across many genres of Tokugawa-period popular literature—e.g. rakusho 落書, dangibon 談義本, sharebon 洒落本, kibyōshi 黄表紙—as well as specific forms of vocal and theatrical performances. But while social satire was widely accepted and openly available on the market, political satire was often circulating underground and cleverly camouflaged to escape the gaze of censors. Yet, political satire was abundantly produced in Tokugawa Japan, especially during the 18th century, and such texts often contributed to the circulation of knowledge and information that would have not normally been available to the general public.

Wordplays, irony, ridicule, burlesque, and the like were among some of the most commonly used tools to create compelling satire, which disguised mentions to forbidden topics and harsh criticism towards well-known political figures. Parody also played a crucial role in the production of satirical writings, and accomplished satirists resorted to this form of intertextuality by borrowing from well-known stories or publishing genres to dissemintate political commentaries, mentions to current events, or other sensational news.

In this paper, I explore the practice of satire in early-modern Japan vis-à-vis the circulation of information about Tokugawa-period politics and current events. Through a close reading of selected case studies, my analysis will explore the production of political satire from two different perspective. First, I shall look at satire as a cultural phenomenon, contextualizing each case study within the wider literary and artistic milieu of early-modern Japan. Looking at stylistic and thematic elements, I will take into account the forms and styles of different writings, as well as at the relationship between text and image. Secondly, I will consider the materiality of such texts, analysing the different vehicles (printed, manuscript, and vocal) through which satirical works circulated among the public. In particular, I shall investigate whether materiality influenced format and content of satirical writings, and how various media were used to convey different information.