"The Tale of Genji" is a masterpiece of Japanese literature written by Murasaki Shikibu at the start of the 11th century. It is generally considered the world's first novel.
Murasaki Shikibu composed "The Tale of Genji" while she was a lady in attendance at the Japanese court, likely completing it around 1010. The work is a unique depiction of the lifestyles of high courtiers during the Heian period. It is written in archaic language and a poetic and complex style that make it unreadable without specialized study.
The story covers the lifetime of Prince Genji and then his descendants, which is a period of some 70 years. The tale recounts the life of Hikaru Genji, or "Shining Genji," who is the son of an ancient Japanese emperor (known to readers as Emperor Kiritsubo) and a low-ranking concubine called Kiritsubo Consort. For political reasons, the emperor removes Genji from the line of succession, demoting him to a commoner by giving him the surname Minamoto, and he pursues a career as an imperial officer.
The tale concentrates on Genji's romantic life and describes the customs of the aristocratic society of the time. It may be Japan's first novel, the first psychological novel, and the first novel still to be considered a classic particularly in the context of Japanese literature.
At its most basic, "The Tale of Genji" is an absorbing introduction to the culture of the aristocracy in early Heian Japan—its forms of entertainment, its manner of dress, its daily life, and its moral code. The era is exquisitely re-created through the story of Genji, the handsome, sensitive, gifted courtier, an excellent lover, and a worthy friend. Most of the story concerns the loves of Genji, and each of the women in his life is vividly delineated.
The work shows supreme sensitivity to human emotions and the beauties of nature, but as it proceeds, its darkening tone reflects the Buddhist conviction of this world’s transience. "The Tale of Genji" story features an expressive narrative and a diverse cast of characters and is filled with details about court life in the mid Heian period and aesthetic pursuits that are still alive today: waka poetry, gakaku court music, noh, and the tea ceremony.
Murasaki Shikibu composed "The Tale of Genji" while she was a lady in attendance at the Japanese court, likely completing it around 1010. The work is a unique depiction of the lifestyles of high courtiers during the Heian period. It is written in archaic language and a poetic and complex style that make it unreadable without specialized study.
The story covers the lifetime of Prince Genji and then his descendants, which is a period of some 70 years. The tale recounts the life of Hikaru Genji, or "Shining Genji," who is the son of an ancient Japanese emperor (known to readers as Emperor Kiritsubo) and a low-ranking concubine called Kiritsubo Consort. For political reasons, the emperor removes Genji from the line of succession, demoting him to a commoner by giving him the surname Minamoto, and he pursues a career as an imperial officer.
The tale concentrates on Genji's romantic life and describes the customs of the aristocratic society of the time. It may be Japan's first novel, the first psychological novel, and the first novel still to be considered a classic particularly in the context of Japanese literature.
At its most basic, "The Tale of Genji" is an absorbing introduction to the culture of the aristocracy in early Heian Japan—its forms of entertainment, its manner of dress, its daily life, and its moral code. The era is exquisitely re-created through the story of Genji, the handsome, sensitive, gifted courtier, an excellent lover, and a worthy friend. Most of the story concerns the loves of Genji, and each of the women in his life is vividly delineated.
The work shows supreme sensitivity to human emotions and the beauties of nature, but as it proceeds, its darkening tone reflects the Buddhist conviction of this world’s transience. "The Tale of Genji" story features an expressive narrative and a diverse cast of characters and is filled with details about court life in the mid Heian period and aesthetic pursuits that are still alive today: waka poetry, gakaku court music, noh, and the tea ceremony.
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