WORLD LITRERATURE

CRITICAL PAPER

THE TALE OF GENJI

PALMA, MARJORIE ANNE

BSMDT II
MWF 2:00

The novel “Tale of Genji” is attributed to a certain Murasaki Shikibu. It was written around the year 1000 and is
considered to be the first novel in the world. The tale of genji is beautiful yet informative novel since it portray the
life of Japanese people.

The novel describes life in the Japanese imperial court, its etiquette and intrigues, and, above all, the central
character of Prince Genji who is the perfect gentleman in looks and deed. Genji's relations, love affairs, and
transition from youth to middle age are all captured by Murasaki's astute writing which combines romanticism and
realism in equal measure to capture a timeless treatment of human relations and the general impermanence of all
things.

The story is conventionally divided into three parts: the life of Genji found on the first two segments, and the
early years of Niou and Kaoru, the two prominent descendants of Genji. For the first part (chapter1-33), it is all
about the youth of Genji. Next is about triumph and obstacle (chapter 34-41). Lastly is about Genji’s death (chapter
42-44)

Composed of 54 chapters, The Tale of Genji is broadly divided into three sections. The first part of thirty-three
chapters concerns itself with the first half of Genji's life starting with Chapter Kiritsubo and ending with Chapter
Fuji-no-uraba (Arthur Waley's translation of The Tale of Genji, Part 1 Chapter 1 to Part 4 Chapter 5). The second
portion begins with the marriage of Onna-Sannomiya to a commoner in Chapter Wakana Part I (Ibid., Part 4
Chapter 6) and ends with Chapter Mirage (Ibid., Part 4 Chapter 12). There is a chapter following this that is entitled
"Hidden Behind the Clouds" which has no text. This chapter is not found in The Tale of Genji. The third section
starts with Chapter Niou (Ibid., Part 5 Chapter 1) in which Kaoru plays the major role. It ends with Chapter The
Bridge of Dreams (Ibid., Part 6 Chapter 13). From Chapter The Bridge Maiden (Ibid., Part 5 Chapter 4) to the end
shifts the stage to Uji city and is thus often called the Uji Appendix.

The tale begins when the emperor and a low-ranking consort bore a child and was named Genji. In order to
obtain political backing, Genji is married to the daughter of a high-ranking court official at a very young age of 12.
He then seeks love and companionship somewhere else as he fails to get along with his aloof and aristocratic wife.
Genji’s romantic adventures include: his unsuccessful pursuit of a married woman named Utsusemi; his affair with
mysterious Yugao, whom he encounters one summer evening in the Fifth ward; and the discovery of his lifelong
companion named Murasaki.

Genji’s actions and amorous ways soon proves his undoing and his wife, Lady Aoi becomes possessed by the
jealous spirit of his mistress, Lady Rokujo, and dies after giving birth to a son, Yugiri. When Genji’s affair with the
current emperor’s favorite consort, Oborozukiyo, becomes known, he is forced into exile at Suma. His loneliness
and troublesome existence takes a turn when he moves across the bay of Akashi and meets a young lady who is
destined to bear his only daughter.

The middle section of the story begins with the plans of celebration for Genji’s fortieth birthday. A disastrous
train of events however begins, when he is reluctant to agree to marry the third daughter of Sukazu emperor and
when Kashiwagi, an unsuccessful suitor, proves to be unable to forget the Third Princess. Kashiwagi’s obsession,
through a single meeting that leads to the birth of Genji’s putative son Kaorou, culminates. Through a fatal decline,
the guilt-stricken courtier leaves his wife in the care of Yugiri, who then becomes obsessed with his friend’s wife,
Princess Ochiba, and results to the jealousy of his own wife. The second part of the work draws to an end as Genji
mourns the death of his beloved, Murasaki.(Goff 1991)
 The tale of genji is a great novel.

I like that fact that The tale of Genji become the first novel in world and at the same time the Japanese culture
(Heian Period) are mirrored on it, because somehow they are able to illustrate to every country their culture,
beliefs and politics system. In with that, Japanese culture was recognized by many. It became advantageous to
them since

Also The Tale of Genji is the epitome of one’s life. If you are going to understand and have further analyze the
nove, it depicts a life of a person, thatl each of has had their story, story in which can tell who they are and what
they are coming from. In the part wherein Genji have a multiple affair to older women, I believe that it is because
he lost his mom when he was a baby that is why he is finding a mother figure who can take care of him and who
can give love unconditionally like a mother. Connecting in a real life which is somehow true as there are a lot of
people who lost or abandoned by their parents so they tend to find an older one who they think can satisfy their
needs, because we are all human being which has needs and mostly the one that is missing, are the one we are
finding.
Tale of Genji is a must read novel. However, if you are just a beginner in reading different materials, I would not
recommend it because it is too long that you might get bored and forgot what you are reading or maybe try
reading it per chapter. I am sure that a bookworm or a person who love studying different culture will going to love
this novel. This novel depicts the reality in life that we can all do wrong things, but what is important is you learn
from it and you will make it right.