I've read a translation of Warbler in the Grove and it was an interesting and fun read. I'll quote a bit from the translator's introduction, which gives an idea of the story's structure:
The story lacks the unifying perspective of a main protagonist, preferring multiple perspectives and dramatic sketches to the narrative strategies of character development and psychological realism that are usually identified with literary modernity. Readers will find that scenes unfold with a dramatic flourish reminiscent of Kabuki theater. [For me, it was reminiscent of silent Japanese movies I've seen, which is perhaps not dissimilar!] Information is often gained through eavesdropping, characters meet suddenly and under unlikely circumstances, and, most important, the narrative progression of the story is almost exclusively dependent on dialogue, which in the original is rendered in playscript style.
The translator (Rebecca L. Copeland) retained the playscript style in a few places but otherwise used embedded dialogue "to accommodate the sensibilities of modern readers." I didn't mind this, though it made me curious about what the original actually looked like.
The themes in the story are excessive Westernization, social responsibility, marriage, and education for women. There's not a particular plot, as such, but the story centers a group of young, educated people in overlapping social circles, and how they embrace or reject Westernization to varying degrees.
I can't resist quoting this excerpt of dialogue from a secondary character, Matsuko, the younger sister of SaitÅ, one of the male characters, and a friend and schoolmate of Namiko Hattori, one of the main female characters:
MATSUKO: Oh, I just remembered. Last night, I had the most peculiar dream. That darling Kabuki star, Fuku-chan, had turned into a real woman and was engaged to marry my older brother. But I said, "What are you thinking? You're really a man, and you're supposed to marry me!" And then my brother was relieved because he's been madly in love with a certain Miss Namiko Hattori ever since he laid eyes on her at the New Year's Ball. "Too bad for you, Fuku-chan," I said, and he grew quite angry!
A little later on, Matsuko declares her intention of remaining single and becoming a painter. ♥
Translation from: Copeland, Rebecca L., and Melek Ortabasi (eds.). The modern Murasaki: writing by women of Meiji Japan. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006.
Warbler in the Grove update!
The story lacks the unifying perspective of a main protagonist, preferring multiple perspectives and dramatic sketches to the narrative strategies of character development and psychological realism that are usually identified with literary modernity. Readers will find that scenes unfold with a dramatic flourish reminiscent of Kabuki theater. [For me, it was reminiscent of silent Japanese movies I've seen, which is perhaps not dissimilar!] Information is often gained through eavesdropping, characters meet suddenly and under unlikely circumstances, and, most important, the narrative progression of the story is almost exclusively dependent on dialogue, which in the original is rendered in playscript style.
The translator (Rebecca L. Copeland) retained the playscript style in a few places but otherwise used embedded dialogue "to accommodate the sensibilities of modern readers." I didn't mind this, though it made me curious about what the original actually looked like.
The themes in the story are excessive Westernization, social responsibility, marriage, and education for women. There's not a particular plot, as such, but the story centers a group of young, educated people in overlapping social circles, and how they embrace or reject Westernization to varying degrees.
I can't resist quoting this excerpt of dialogue from a secondary character, Matsuko, the younger sister of SaitÅ, one of the male characters, and a friend and schoolmate of Namiko Hattori, one of the main female characters:
A little later on, Matsuko declares her intention of remaining single and becoming a painter. ♥
Translation from: Copeland, Rebecca L., and Melek Ortabasi (eds.). The modern Murasaki: writing by women of Meiji Japan. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006.