Popular Paraphrases of Classical Japanese literature in the Edo Period Creative Strategies in Nise Murasaki inaka Genji

This thesis deals with popular paraphrases of classical Japanese literature in the Edo period (1600- 1868). It analyses creative rewritings of a famous Heian tale Genji monogatari by popular authors of the Edo period, primarily Nise Murasaki inaka Genji by Ryūtei Tanehiko (1783-1842), which is one of the most successful works of Japanese early modern literature. The aim of this thesis is, utilizing elements of narrative analysis, to identify and interpret creative strategies applied by Tanehiko and his predecessors (Kogame Masuhide, Miyako no Nishiki and Okumura Masanobu) in works based on Genji monogatari and to find out what the relation was between their works and their Heian model, and if and to what extent Tanehiko's work was a unique occurrence between popular paraphrases of classical Japanese literature