Representing the Geisha
The geisha has been used as a symbol of Japanese culture since the beginning of contact with the West, and, after a hundred and fifty years, global fascination with the figure seems to be keener than ever. She has been associated, in various periods, with both ultra-nationalism and cultural feminization, and she has been the subject of both high art and high kitsch. In this course we will examine foreign and domestic representations of the geisha ranging from Edo-period theatre and woodblock prints, to popular film and Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha. Issues explored include: gender relations and representations, cultural performativity, and global cultural commodification. 3 hrs. lect./disc.