SOURCE: “The Loneliness of Matsuo Bashō,” in The Biographical Process: Studies in the History and Psychology of Religion, edited by Frank E. Reynolds and Donald Capps, Mouton, 1976, pp. 363-91.
In the following excerpt, Foard discusses the three stages of Bashō's life: his early years, his poetic and spiritual wanderings, and his life as a literary and religious master. The critic proposes that Bashō utilized his haiku in an attempt to overcome his isolation and discover his true self.
This is a free excerpt of 78 words. There are 10,180 words (approx.
34 pages at 300 words per page) in the full critical essay.
Read the rest of this Criticism with our Matsuo Bashō: Critical Essay by James H. Foard Access Pass.
