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Loading... The Tale of Genjiby Murasaki Shikibu
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![]() ![]() Considered one of the earliest novels, this book was written by a lady in waiting of the imperial Japanese court in the 11th century. It features the romantic misadventures of Genji, the son of the emperor. Genji is a bit of a rogue, who takes advantage of his powerful position to get what he wants. He seduces young women, and sometimes carries them off to a remote location away from prying eyes. As I read it, I kept reminding myself that it is a piece of history, written in medieval times to entertain the women at court. It provides us a glimpse of the culture and class distinctions of the era from a person who lived through it. The prose and poetry are beautiful in places. I found it reasonably entertaining, though the protagonist engages in some pretty reprehensible behavior. A modern reader may get a little impatient with the slow pace and repetition. I think it is wonderful that we have preserved this piece of historic writing. Here's what I wrote in 2008 about this read: "Wow, what a read. Considered the world's first novel (written in the Eleventh Century), the tale of Genji, the Shining Prince of Japan, and Japanese courtly life. Long, detailed, and worth each word." Generally recognized as the world's first novel and written by a (certainly extraordinary) woman of the court. Note that publication date is approximate; historians know it was published by 1021. Probably the longest book I've read to date. The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu and translated by Royall Tyler was, in my opinion, a good read. It's one of the oldest novels in human history, written by a women (which in itself is amazing knowing it was written in the Middle Ages), and extremely important to Japanese literature and culture. At time I was a little confused with the plot because most characters don't have proper first names, mainly titles. Thankfully Tyler was a good translator often writing notes on various substitute translations and explained things to a Western audiences. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in studying Japanese culture.
The main thing required of a noble gentleman in Heian Japan was a sense of style. Seducing another man’s wife could be forgiven; a bad poem, clumsy handwriting, or the wrong perfume could not. Het verhaal van Genji is dé klassieke roman uit de Japanse literaire historie. Het boek werd in de elfde eeuw geschreven door Murasaki Shikibu, pseudoniem van een hofdame in de keizerlijke hoofdstad Heian-kyo (Kyoto). Het torent al duizend jaar als de berg Fuji uit boven het literaire landschap van Japan. Belongs to Publisher SeriesContainsHas the adaptationInspiredHas as a reference guide/companionHas as a studyHas as a commentary on the textHas as a student's study guideAwardsNotable Lists
Step into a story of life and love in Kyoto's 10th century royal court. Tale of Genji tells the story of Prince Genji, the passionate heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne. Handsome, romantic, and talented in the art of seduction, Prince Genji skillfully navigates the court and all its intrigues--always in search of love and often finding it. His story is the oldest and most famous tale of romance in the annals of Japanese literature and, as a representation of passion and romance, remains beyond compare. In this beautifully illustrated edition, Genji's story comes alive as readers experience: -His birth in the royal court to Kiritsubo, who comes to represent Genji's ideal of female beauty and grace. -His lifelong obsession with Fujitsubo, one of the emperor's lovers and mother to Genji's son Ryozen. -His romantic life with Murasaki, Fujitsubo's beautiful niece and Genji's favored lover. Taken with him at first she becomes wary of his motivations but she becomes the true love of Genji's life. Lady Murasaki Shikibu wrote this story some 500 years before Shakespeare put pen to paper. It is acknowledged to be the world's very first novel, and English-speaking readers can now experience the story in manga style for the first time. Superbly illustrated and retold, this visual take on Japan's most important classic offers an intimate look at the social mores and intrigues in the Heian-era court of medieval Japan, and Prince Genji's representation as the ideal male courtie No library descriptions found. |
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![]() GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)895.6314Literature Literature of other languages Asian (east and south east) languages Japanese Japanese fiction –1185 Heian period 794–1185LC ClassificationRatingAverage:![]()
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