Fishing for Bashos: Interpretive Communities and Haiku in English

Title: Fishing for Bashos: Interpretive Communities and Haiku in English
Author: Stewart Baker
Publication Date: 1/1/2015
Abstract: Haiku poets and critics in English have traditionally held to the view that haiku are objective snapshots of reality. This article argues against that idea by approaching haiku through the lens of Stanley Fish's theory of interpretive communities. I argue that, especially after translation into English, the meanings found in any given haiku are as informed by interpretation as in any other literary form. Several examples of translations from famous haiku poet Matsuo Basho are given.
Volume Number: 46
Issue Number: 1
First Page Number: 25
Last Page Number: 36
Type: Text
Department: Library
Language: eng
Keywords: haiku; translation; reader response theory
Citation: Baker, S. (2015). Fishing for Bashos: Interpretive communities and haiku in English. Modern Haiku 46(1).
Identifier: fac_pubs/10
Source: Modern Haiku