Mary%A.%Knighton%% · Mary%A.%Knighton%% Visi$ng’AssistantProfessor’of’Japanese’Studies’...
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Mary A. Knighton Visi$ng Assistant Professor of Japanese Studies Making Sense of Nonsense in EdogawaRampo’s Insect Narra>ves Indica$ng graphic and disturbing cultural produc$ons in Japan’s literature, arts, and film, the expression eroguro nansensu (ero$c grotesque nonsense) was first coined in the 1920’s and came from popular culture. Its “nonsense” aspect reassured government officials and censors that eroguro representa$ons were nothing but harmless if improper fun. Compa$ble with formula fic$ons such as the detec$ve novel, crime stories, and romance fantasies, eroguro nansensu insinuated itself into a diverse array of texts, jazzing up the increasingly serious business of law and order in Japan’s early Showa era. In this talk, Mary Knighton will nod towards KaTa and Poe while discussing the ways in which eroguro sculpts “human insec$vity” in two censorious works by Japan’s most well known detec$ve and mystery fic$on writer, Edogawa Rampo (18941965).
Transcript of Mary%A.%Knighton%% · Mary%A.%Knighton%% Visi$ng’AssistantProfessor’of’Japanese’Studies’...
Mary A. Knighton Visi$ng Assistant Professor of Japanese Studies
Making Sense of Nonsense in EdogawaRampo’s Insect Narra>ves
Indica$ng graphic and disturbing cultural produc$ons in Japan’s literature, arts, and film, the expression eroguro nansensu (ero$c-‐grotesque nonsense) was first coined in the 1920’s and came from popular culture. Its “nonsense” aspect reassured government officials and censors that eroguro representa$ons were nothing but harmless -‐-‐ if improper -‐-‐ fun. Compa$ble with formula fic$ons such as the detec$ve novel, crime stories, and romance fantasies, eroguro nansensu insinuated itself into a diverse array of texts, jazzing up the increasingly serious business of law and order in Japan’s early Showa era. In this talk, Mary Knighton will nod towards KaTa and Poe while discussing the ways in which eroguro sculpts “human insec$vity” in two censorious works by Japan’s most well known detec$ve and mystery fic$on writer, Edogawa Rampo (1894-‐1965).
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