Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology - Reading A
Hello!
We're gonna be reading Japanese Mythology stories, starting with Izanagi and Izanami!
So far, the writing has been very detailed and it's comprised of long continuous sentences.
What is an iris-stalk and what does it look like?
 |
| Iris Stalk Link |
So both the sun and the moon came from a flower. I wonder how important flowers are in Japanese culture.
Pretty weird way to get married...
It seems like the moon god is being treated similarly to how Hades was being treated by Zeus.
I keep seeing this word "Wroth."
I have no clue what it means. I'm gonna look it up.
Angry. It means angry.
Izanami dies giving birth to her fire and water children. That's sad.
The story of exiling yourself to an island and being isolated because someone close to you died, is something we've definitely seen in literature before. Luke Skywalker did the same thing, YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL IZANAGI.
This story about the mirror is kind of hard to read. I understand it's poetry and every other line is supposed to rhyme, but it's getting difficult to follow what is happening.
I think the illustrations included with the story are absolutely beautiful. From what I can tell, they trapped Amaterasu in a cave and a god of strength closed the door with a boulder. I hope that's right.
Okay! So a chopstick was floating down the river, which indicates life other than Susa-no-wo. Makes sense.
An eight-forked serpent has killed 7 of this dude's 8 daughters and he hasn't moved yet? That's just poor parenting.
Bold Susa-no-wo, asking for the daughter's hand in marriage. "I'll kill the serpent for you. For a reward." Not very noble.
I HAVE READ THIS STORY BEFORE
I'm just now remembering that I have read this before. He transforms the wife into a comb to attract the sneaky snake, and then kills it.
Susa-no-wo is a baaaaddd man. Get the dragon drunk. Then kill it. GENIUS.
The old man of the sea reminds me of the wise man I have used in my story.
The old man of the sea is definitely the character in movies and books that helps the young hero succeed in his mission. Yoda for Luke, and Merlin for Arthur.
It's cool to see these literature templates date back hundreds and hundreds of years.
What in the world are "Briny Breakers?"
Okay so quick update. Yamato's wife has been taken by a bandit. Yamato is stuck under his horse and black waves of evil, whatever that is, are washing over him.
Overall, very interesting and different stories. Japanese culture is very different from our own, and has a lot of unique stories and beliefs.
Bibliography:
Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).
Comments
Post a Comment