Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), is Japan’s most famous poet, certainly its
most famous haiku poet
. He was historically important in developing the form during the Genroku Period, the high point of the Japanese Renaissance, which has so much in common with the Elizabethan Period in England, which came just 100 years earlier.
What was Basho known for?
Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) was one of the greatest Japanese poets. He
elevated haiku to the level of serious poetry
in numerous anthologies and travel diaries. The name of Matsuo Basho is associated especially with the celebrated Genroku era (ca.
Was Basho a samurai?
The 17th-century Japanese haiku master Basho was born Matsuo Kinsaku near Kyoto, Japan, to a
minor samurai and his
wife. … In his late 20s Basho moved to Edo (now a sector of Tokyo), where he joined a rapidly growing literary community.
What inspired Matsuo to write haikus?
His poems were influenced by
his firsthand experience of the world around him
, often encapsulating the feeling of a scene in a few simple elements.
What is the aim of Matsuo Basho for the readers to experience achieve while reading his poetry ?
The ultimate goal of this “lightness” was to allow readers to escape the burdens of the self —one’s petty peculiarities and circumstances—in order to experience unity with the world beyond. Bashō believed that
poetry could, at its best, allow one to feel a brief sensation of merging with the natural world
.
Is the 17 syllable in Japanese poems?
haiku
, unrhymed poetic form consisting of 17 syllables arranged in three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively. The haiku first emerged in Japanese literature during the 17th century, as a terse reaction to elaborate poetic traditions, though it did not become known by the name haiku until the 19th century.
Who was a great influence on Basho?
He was invited to study with Soen, a famous contemporary poet. It was
Soen’s
influence that taught Basho the value of the humble and unpretentious use of images from everyday life that would become the hallmark of his poetry. In 1676, Basho began to compose poetry for publication.
Who invented the Samurai?
The craft was perfected in the 14th century by
the great swordsmith Masamune
. The Japanese sword (tachi and katana) became renowned around the world for its sharpness and resistance to breaking. Many swords made using these techniques were exported across the East China Sea, a few making their way as far as India.
Where did cold remain in Basho’s haiku?
This haiku reflects a period of change, the cold of winter is waning, when the plum blossoms begin to bloom. Even though spring is soon upon us, the cold of winter still lingers
in all the little shady spots and corners and hollows
.
What does Basho’s name mean?
Matsuo became educated in classical Japanese poems. First he named himself Tosei (桃青) meaning “unripe peach in blue”. Basho took this name because he admired a Chinese poet, Li Po whose name means plum in white. … One of his followers gifted him a
banana plant
(basho-an).
What is Basho’s most famous haiku?
His writing
“The Narrow Road to the Deep North ”
is the most famous haiku collection in Japan.
What is the most famous haiku poem?
- “The Old Pond” by Matsuo Bashō
- “A World of Dew” by Kobayashi Issa.
- “Lighting One Candle” by Yosa Buson.
- “A Poppy Blooms” by Katsushika Hokusai.
- “Over the Wintry” by Natsume Sōseki.
- “In a Station of the Metro” by Ezra Pound.
- “The Taste of Rain” by Jack Kerouac.
What is the pattern for a haiku poem?
Haiku is
composed of only 3 lines
. 3. Typically, every first line of Haiku has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the third has 5 syllables.
Why is Basho historically important?
Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), is Japan’s most famous poet, certainly its most famous haiku poet. He was historically
important in developing the form during the Genroku Period
, the high point of the Japanese Renaissance, which has so much in common with the Elizabethan Period in England, which came just 100 years earlier.
What motif is addressed in both forms of poetry?
A motif is a narrative element with symbolic meaning that repeats throughout a work of literature. Motifs may come in the form of reoccurring imagery, language, structure, or contrasts. In this case the motif of both poems would be
nature
.
What is Basho’s major contribution to Japanese literature?
Bashō, in full Matsuo Bashō, pseudonym of Matsuo Munefusa, (born 1644, Ueno, Iga province, Japan—died Nov. 28, 1694, Ōsaka), the supreme Japanese haiku poet, who
greatly enriched the 17-syllable haiku form and made it an accepted medium of artistic expression
.
