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Monogatari (Japanese:物語;[monoɡaꜜtaɾi]) is aliterary form in traditionalJapanese literature – an extendedprosenarrative tale comparable toepic literature.Monogatari is closely tied to aspects of theoral tradition, and almost always relates afictional orfictionalized story, even when retelling a historical event. Many of the great works of Japanese fiction, such as theGenji Monogatari and theHeike Monogatari, are in themonogatari form.
The form was prominent around the 9th to 15th centuries, reaching a peak between the 10th and 13th centuries.[1]Monogatari was the court literature during the Heian era and also persisted in the form of archaic fiction until the sixteenth century.[1] TheFūyō Wakashū (1271) indicates that at least 198monogatari existed by the 13th century. Today, only 24 exist.[2]
The genre is subdivided into multiple categories depending on their contents:
Stories dealing with fantastical events.
Stories drawn from poetry.
Aristocratic court romances.
Historical tales that emerged during the late Heian period, flourishing until themedieval age.[3] These narratives were commonly written inkanbun (hybrid form ofChinese) orwabun (Japanese).[3] Two of the most notable of this monogatari included theEiga Monogatari andŌkagami, which both narrated the story ofMichinaga, the renownedFujiwara regent.[3]
Military chronicles and stories about war.
Anecdotal tales.
Pseudo-classical imitations of earlier tales.
When European and other foreign literature later became known to Japan, the wordmonogatari began to be used in Japanese titles of foreign works of a similar nature. For example,A Tale of Two Cities is known asNito Monogatari (二都物語),One Thousand and One Nights asSen'ichiya Monogatari (千一夜物語) and more recentlyThe Lord of the Rings asYubiwa Monogatari (指輪物語) andTo Kill a Mockingbird asArabama Monogatari (アラバマ物語).
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