The Tale of Genji - Murasaki Shikibu

The Tale of Genji, written by lady-in-waiting of the 11th-century Heian Court, Murasaki Shikibu, has long been regarded Japan's greatest literary achievement. One of the world's first novels, its story revolves around the sophisticated and alluring Prince Genji, illegitimate son of the emperor, and his progeny. Its portrayal of the Japanese Court is a great historical artifact, and the writing itself shows an awareness not only of the complex aristocracy, but of the secret pangs and desires each character bears. It at once brings to life the rich intrigue of Heian society, and exemplifies the tenets of Buddhism.

Japanese in this era was regarded as the common vernacular--communications of an official nature were conducted in Chinese. Only men of learning and authority were taught Chinese, and it was deemed unseemly (perhaps subversive) for a woman to able to read or write in the language of governing. Japanese symbols based on the Chinese were adopted for private use at home and were utilized by early female writers. Though Japanese was initially regarded as inferior to Chinese, as nationalism became popular, men in Japan began to feel divorced from their own language. An anthology of Japanese poetry was commissioned in 905, essentially reclaiming Japanese symbols for the educated men who had previously rejected them. Because men were so late to adopt the language, however, this historical era is largely defined by women.

Murasaki Shikibu gives no precise dates or real names to mark the occurrences in her novel, but it is generally believed that the story mimics her own experience of the court and follows the royal Fujiwara family who were in power during her time. The novel begins with the emperor's unseemly preference for a concubine over the chief wife. The shared love between the two provokes the jealous Lady Kokiden, especially after the concubine gives birth to extraordinary son. The concubine dies shortly after the boy's birth, weakened by the spite of Kokiden and her followers. The emperor, ravaged by grief, and wishing to shield his illegitimate son from the hatred of the court, cuts him off from the imperial succession.

The Emperor's finds peace in Fujitsubo, a replacement who bears a strong resemblance to the woman he's lost--the theme of substitution is heavy throughout the novel, especially in regard to Genji, and his unending search for a mother figure. When he grows older, in fact, Genji is entranced by Fujitsubo, falling madly and blindly for her, enough to disregard the fact that she is his father's concubine. Eventually, Fujitsubo gives birth to Genji's son, though the emperor thinks it's his own.

When Fujitsubo appears unattainable, Genji finds solace in young Murasaki, who reminds him of Fujitsubo (we later learn this is her niece). Enchanted with the girl, Genji brings Murasaki into his own household. Genji at this point is much estranged with his wife, engaged in love affairs with several ladies at court, and with young Murasaki. His illicit affairs wreak havoc--he is at last discovered with the fiancee of the crown prince and exiled from the capital.

Genji's time in exile is spent in purifying his soul. The lonely coast depresses him, and he longs to return the court. He meets and steals the heart of a local priest's daughter, who returns with him to the court when the emperor retires. The emperor asks Genji to look after his son (who is actually Genji's son), and restored to the court, Genji's household prospers. The eventual death of the emperor and Fujitsubo reveal that Genji has matured--he now views himself as a patriarch, and busies himself with his sons' prospects rather than with ladies of the court.

Genji is convinced by the new emperor to marry his third daughter, the young Third Princess. Over the course of four years, Murasaki's jealousy causes her to become ill, and Genji must take her away from the capital.

The moment he leaves the Third Princess unguarded, she is expertly seduced by Kashiwagi, the son of Genji's childhood friend. The lovers are implicated by a letter from Kashiwagi which Genji finds. The true transgression here is the carelessness of the lovers which leads to their discovery. Weighed by guilt and shame, Kashiwagi slowly dies, and the Third Princess decides to take vows, once she gives birth to a son. This episode ages Genji--he begins to look back, recognizing that he has become his father. With the wisdom of age and experience, he becomes more withdrawn and reflective.

Murasaki soon falls ill again. Genji refuses to let her purify her soul by taking vows, and she dies in the autumn. Genji waits a year before retiring from the court. He is 52 at this point in the novel, and his first grandson has just been born. The remainder of the novel follows Genji's progeny after his death. The themes in these final chapters mimic those which came before, but the world has changed. There are two centers in the narrative, Genji's grandson and Kashiwagi's son (publicly known as Genji's son). Their lives and decisions shadow Genji's, but the consequences are much more tragic, and they are left empty and aimless.

The Buddhist themes of predestination and the tragedy of desire are constantly repeated in the novel. The children are destined to repeat the mistakes of their forbears, and cyclical themes (like Genji's substitution of various women for his dead mother) highlight this infinite pattern. Attachment to the world in the end brings pain to the characters--only taking vows, renouncing all attachment, and retreating from the court brings peace.

The paintings above depict Genji spying on a conquest, from the third chapter of the novel (link), and Murasaki Shikibu as she writes to Genji during his exile (link).