Lyric Poetry as State Criticism in Modern Japan - by Marianne Tarcov (Paperback)

About the Book

"Marianne Tarcov argues that early 20th century Japanese lyric poetry was able to serve as a mode of political expression. Under the guise of "officially licensed" poetry, the lyric form, widely perceived as personal and harmless, enabled poets to veil their critique in plain sight"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Lyric Poetry as State Criticism in Modern Japan explores how seemingly apolitical verse became a subtle vehicle for political expression under censorship. In an era of intense state control, Japanese poets such as Kitahara Hakushū, Hagiwara Sakutarō, Yonezawa Nobuko, and Ōte Takuji turned to lyric poetry to discuss police censorship and surveillance of modern media, state-sponsored efforts at Western-style modernization, and the policing of gender and sexuality. Marianne Tarcov shows how lyric form, widely perceived as personal and harmless, enabled poets to veil their critique in plain sight.

Through close readings and original translations, Tarcov reframes the role of poetry in twentieth-century Japan. She demonstrates that lyric was not merely an aesthetic retreat; it was a space where public and private, art and politics, could intersect and sometimes clash. Lyric Poetry as State Criticism in Modern Japan reshapes how we understand voice, complicity and critique in repressive regimes. It will speak to anyone interested in literature, media, and the power of quiet dissent.

About the Author

Marianne Tarcov is Assistant Professor in the Department of East Asian Studies at McGill University.