In the Company of Men: Representations of Male-Male Sexuality in Meiji Literature

by Jim Reichert

In the Company of Men examines representations of male-male sexuality in literature from the Meiji period (1868-1912), the era when Japan embarked on an unprecedented modernization campaign. Because male-male sexuality occupied a prominent place in the literary culture of the preceding Edo period (1600-1868), the issue was of importance to Meiji writers and intellectuals, especially given the stigma attached to male-male sexuality in Europe and America, the "civilized" societies that Japan strove to emulate as it modernized. The heterosexualization of literature thus emerged as a key component of the production of Japanese literary and cultural modernity. At the same time, male-male sexuality also surfaced as an important cultural symbol for segments of society opposed to the push to modernize. In the Company of Men considers how these conflicting attitudes toward male-male sexuality manifested themselves in Meiji literary history.

Genres: Japanese Literature

297 pages, Hardcover

First published January 19, 2006

Reviews

[raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a fascinating experience this was! i never knew about nanshoku, but this book did an excellent job teaching me all about the genre and the impact it had on not only writers, but Japan as a whole! the author perfectly explains how the birth of Imperial Japan caused the decline and demonization of this once well-respected genre. i believe anyone who is interested in the history of Japan should give this book a chance.