This first-year seminar addresses two of the great East Asian novels, "The Tale of Genji" (from Japan) and "The Story of the Stone" (also known as Dream of the Red Chamber) (from China), and their afterlives in modern and premodern popular culture. Topics of discussion include adaptations of both novels as literature and in other media forms (drama, film, TV, etc.); the two novels in painting/prints, games, fan fictions, etc.; shared themes such as family, romance, and power; and social issues including class, gender, and intergenerational conflict. No previous background in East Asian studies required. |