The ‘feeling of things’:The ‘feeling of things’:

Communication, Boundaries, Communication, Boundaries, Women Women

in in Pillow BookPillow Book, sections 126-, sections 126-185185

October 21, 2003October 21, 2003

Communicative Triumphs: Communicative Triumphs: conversation as a strategy conversation as a strategy

gamegame

Sections 89, 157

Having the last wordHaving the last word

Competition Competition ‘‘I understand you, you don’t understand I understand you, you don’t understand

me’ – Shonagon and Tadanobume’ – Shonagon and Tadanobu Men and women – Shonagon and Men and women – Shonagon and

Yukinari Yukinari Servants and mastersServants and masters

The rewardsThe rewards

BoundariesBoundaries

… … Create and indicate differenceCreate and indicate difference Screens of stateScreens of state Visibility of the imperial couple (cf sec 70)Visibility of the imperial couple (cf sec 70)

… … Correlate with communicationCorrelate with communication Being an “insider”Being an “insider” LettersLetters

… … Are vulnerable to attackAre vulnerable to attack Okinomaro (sec. 8)Okinomaro (sec. 8)

Communication Communication

Speaking through things (gifts, tokens)Speaking through things (gifts, tokens) Plum blossomsPlum blossoms SnowSnow A bit of seaweedA bit of seaweed

ExchangesExchanges CompetitionsCompetitions

Communication as a gameCommunication as a game

An ecology of meaningAn ecology of meaning An utterance is a moveAn utterance is a move All players are simultaneously judges All players are simultaneously judges

tootoo Standards of reference: prior moves, Standards of reference: prior moves,

the usual and expected moves, ideals the usual and expected moves, ideals from fictionfrom fiction

The limits of the gameThe limits of the game Grace and favorGrace and favor

Role playRole play

Empress Sadako’s forced retirementEmpress Sadako’s forced retirement Intrusion of tragedy into the world of beautiful Intrusion of tragedy into the world of beautiful

surfaces?surfaces? Sei Shonagon’s exile from the (exiled) Sei Shonagon’s exile from the (exiled)

empress’s courtempress’s court How the part of the neglected woman How the part of the neglected woman

should be played (sec. 112, sec. 94)should be played (sec. 112, sec. 94) Aesthetic fatalism? Recognition of limits?Aesthetic fatalism? Recognition of limits?

Transgressions Transgressions

Writing as an experiment with Writing as an experiment with boundaries, with rank, with autonomyboundaries, with rank, with autonomy Compare section 62: “A man snatches a Compare section 62: “A man snatches a

letter…”letter…” Section 51: “I was most vexed at the idea Section 51: “I was most vexed at the idea

that all those gentlemen had been sitting that all those gentlemen had been sitting in judgment on me without my in judgment on me without my knowledge.”knowledge.”

The Tale of GenjiThe Tale of Genji, chapter , chapter 5151

Nakanokimi: "It's not good manners Nakanokimi: "It's not good manners to look at private notes between to look at private notes between women." "You really must let me see women." "You really must let me see them," said Prince Niou. "What them," said Prince Niou. "What might it be like, I wonder, a letter might it be like, I wonder, a letter from one woman to another?" from one woman to another?"

Voyeurism? Voyeurism? Discovery of individuality?Discovery of individuality?

““I still regret”I still regret”

Section 184: “This notebook of mine Section 184: “This notebook of mine happened to be lying on the mat, but I did happened to be lying on the mat, but I did not notice it in time. I snatched at the not notice it in time. I snatched at the book… but the Captain instantly took it off book… but the Captain instantly took it off with him…” with him…”

Section 185: “Everything that I have seen Section 185: “Everything that I have seen and felt is included…. I was careful to keep and felt is included…. I was careful to keep my book hidden. But now it has become my book hidden. But now it has become public, which is the last thing I expected.” public, which is the last thing I expected.”

(My) life as (my) art(My) life as (my) art

Sei Shōnagon’s role as narratorSei Shōnagon’s role as narrator The games of description, narration The games of description, narration

(history), evaluation: all prescribed in (history), evaluation: all prescribed in courtier’s role courtier’s role

Autobiography: not prescribed in that role Autobiography: not prescribed in that role (your social “score” should suffice for that)(your social “score” should suffice for that)

The book as substitute for the bodyThe book as substitute for the body It goes where the female body can’t goIt goes where the female body can’t go Regret and renownRegret and renown

One judgmentOne judgment

““So we have Sei Shōnagon, who left this So we have Sei Shōnagon, who left this world, bequeathing only her carefree world, bequeathing only her carefree laughter and ready wit on that splendid laughter and ready wit on that splendid paper she received from Empress Teishi paper she received from Empress Teishi [=Sadako]. [=Sadako]. The Pillow BookThe Pillow Book is truly, and is truly, and through and through, the legacy in prose through and through, the legacy in prose of ‘a skilled performance.’ How many tears of ‘a skilled performance.’ How many tears of blood did she shed over its pages?– no of blood did she shed over its pages?– no one can sneak a peek inside the bamboo one can sneak a peek inside the bamboo blinds of a thousand years ago.” blinds of a thousand years ago.” – – Ogino Ayako (1991), cited in Edith Sarra, Ogino Ayako (1991), cited in Edith Sarra, Fictions of FemininityFictions of Femininity (1999). (1999).

And anotherAnd another ““Leaving out nothing that was charming, full of Leaving out nothing that was charming, full of

pathos, impressive, or splendid, she wrote in minute pathos, impressive, or splendid, she wrote in minute detail about everything having to do with the detail about everything having to do with the magnificent flowering that was Empress Teishi’s magnificent flowering that was Empress Teishi’s reign, yet it seems she was prudent to the point that reign, yet it seems she was prudent to the point that she said nothing at all about the ruin brought on by she said nothing at all about the ruin brought on by the death of Michitaka and the exile of Korechika. the death of Michitaka and the exile of Korechika. Perhaps because she had lost her most reliable Perhaps because she had lost her most reliable patrons, she went off to stay in the countryside with patrons, she went off to stay in the countryside with her wet-nurse’s daughter. Someone glimpsed her her wet-nurse’s daughter. Someone glimpsed her going out into the fields to dry some sort of greens going out into the fields to dry some sort of greens and muttering to herself: ‘It’s the figures wearing and muttering to herself: ‘It’s the figures wearing those court robes I cannot forget.’ She was wearing a those court robes I cannot forget.’ She was wearing a plain robe and a headcloth of rags. So sad! Truly, plain robe and a headcloth of rags. So sad! Truly, how she must have longed for the past.” how she must have longed for the past.” – – MumyōzōshiMumyōzōshi (The notebook without a name; ca. (The notebook without a name; ca. 1200), cited in Sarra (1999)1200), cited in Sarra (1999)