What’s the Tale of Genji?

Summary

In this video, we explore 'The Tale of Genji,' the world's first novel, penned by Murasaki Shikibu a millennium ago. The narrative delves into the life of Hikaru Genji, a Japanese prince, as he navigates romance, politics, and self-discovery. The video discusses the author's background, the novel's influence on Japanese culture, and its unique portrayal of love and suffering. It also touches on the book's historical significance, its reception in the Meiji era, and its enduring legacy, including the challenges of translating its courtly language for modern readers.

Takeaways

• 📚 The Tale of Genji is recognized as the world's first novel, written by Murasaki Shikibu around a thousand years ago.
• 👩‍💼 Murasaki Shikibu was a lady-in-waiting in the Heian court and wrote the novel primarily for a female audience.
• 🎭 The novel's characters are referred to by their ranks rather than names, reflecting the high level of formality in Japanese culture.
• 🏯 The story is set in a period of Japanese history when the country was distancing itself from Chinese influence and developing its own cultural identity.
• 📖 The Tale of Genji is composed of 54 chapters that can be read separately, detailing the life of Hikaru Genji, a prince with many romantic adventures.
• 🌹 Genji's character is complex, embodying both beauty and a deep sensitivity, which was highly valued during his time.
• 💔 The novel explores the theme of love in its many forms, from the sublime to the tragic, and the suffering it often brings.
• 👘 It provides a unique emotional record of a historical period, with a focus on the experiences and perspectives of women.
• 🧘 The narrative suggests a Buddhist view of life as suffering and the idea of detachment from love and worldly desires for happiness.
• 🌐 The Tale of Genji has had a significant influence on Japanese literature and has been reinterpreted by later generations to assert a distinct Japanese cultural identity.

Q & A

Who is considered the author of the world's first novel, and what is the name of the novel?

The world's first novel is considered to be 'The Tale of Genji,' written by a female author named Shikibu Murasaki.

What was Lady Murasaki's role at the Heian court?

Lady Murasaki was employed as a lady-in-waiting, which meant she served as a tutor and personal poet for a princess at the Heian court.

Why is it sometimes difficult to read 'The Tale of Genji' due to the naming conventions used?

In 'The Tale of Genji,' characters are referred to by their rank rather than by name, which can make reading the novel confusing, as is the custom of using surnames or company names over first names in Japan.

Why might some people doubt that Shikibu Murasaki wrote 'The Tale of Genji'?

Some people doubt that Shikibu Murasaki wrote 'The Tale of Genji' because her name is not her real name, and it was unusual for women of the time to write in a language like Chinese, which was considered a masculine domain.

How did Japan's cultural and political climate during the Heian period influence 'The Tale of Genji'?

During the Heian period, Japan was distancing itself from China and becoming more nationalistic. This cultural shift is reflected in 'The Tale of Genji,' which stands as an early example of Japanese literature emerging from the shadow of Chinese influence.

What is the structure of 'The Tale of Genji,' and how does it differ from modern novels?

The Tale of Genji has 54 chapters that can be read separately, possibly written in installments. It differs from modern novels in its subtle portrayal of romance and lack of clear plot, focusing more on the realistic portrayal of emotions and characters.

Who is Hikaru Genji, and what is the main theme of his story?

Hikaru Genji is a prince, the son of an emperor and a concubine, who is the central character of 'The Tale of Genji.' The main theme of his story revolves around his romantic adventures with women and his quest for meaning in life.

How does 'The Tale of Genji' portray the concept of love and relationships?

The novel portrays love in all its forms, from beautiful and poetic to ridiculous, tragic, and horrible. It suggests that love itself, rather than the people involved, can cause misery, and that detachment from love might be necessary for happiness.

What is the significance of the empty chapter marking Genji's death in 'The Tale of Genji'?

The empty chapter marking Genji's death is a storytelling device that signifies the end of an era and the emotional impact of his passing. It leaves the reader to contemplate the void left by his death.

How has 'The Tale of Genji' been reinterpreted in different historical periods in Japan?

During the Meiji period, 'The Tale of Genji' was seen as a symbol of Japanese cultural identity and superiority over Chinese influence. Later, it was used to emphasize the Japanese spirit and maternal values in contrast to Western patriarchy.

Why do most modern Japanese readers need to read 'The Tale of Genji' in translation?

Most modern Japanese readers need to read 'The Tale of Genji' in translation because it was written in a highly formal court Japanese that is difficult to understand without special skills and dedication.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Introduction to 'The Tale of Genji' and its Historical Context

The video script introduces 'The Tale of Genji' as the world's first novel, written by Murasaki Shikibu a thousand years ago. It discusses the author's background as a lady-in-waiting in the Heian court and her use of formal language and names based on rank, which can be confusing for modern readers. The script highlights the novel's significance in Japanese literature and its reflection of the period's shift towards Japanese nationalism and away from Chinese influence. It also provides a brief on the novel's structure, which consists of 54 chapters that can be read separately, and mentions the protagonist, Hikaru Genji, a prince with a penchant for romantic adventures and a quest for meaning in life.

05:03

💖 Exploration of Love and Emotions in 'The Tale of Genji'

This paragraph delves into the portrayal of love in its various forms within the novel, from the sublime to the tragic. It discusses the Buddhist theme of life as suffering and how the novel's characters experience sorrow and anguish. The concept of 'mono no aware' is introduced, reflecting the transient nature of life and the beauty in fleeting sadness. The script also touches on the novel's unique position as an emotional record of a historical period, the gender roles and expectations of the time, and the author's nuanced depiction of both male and female characters. It concludes with insights into the novel's exploration of love's complexities, including jealousy and the suffering it causes, and the suggestion that detachment from love and worldly desires might be the path to happiness.

10:09

🌏 Cultural Significance and Reception of 'The Tale of Genji'

The final paragraph discusses the novel's cultural significance and its reception over time. It highlights how the Meiji period's nationalism led to a rediscovery of 'The Tale of Genji' as a symbol of Japanese cultural identity. The script mentions how intellectuals used the novel to assert Japanese superiority and maternal values in contrast to Western patriarchy. It also notes the irony that most contemporary Japanese readers access the novel through translation due to its archaic language. The paragraph concludes with the presenter's intention to compare 'The Tale of Genji' with the Persian epic 'Shahnameh' in a future video, inviting viewers to join the journey of exploring literature from around the world.

Keywords

💡The Tale of Genji

The Tale of Genji is a classic work of Japanese literature, often considered the world's first novel. Written by Murasaki Shikibu around the 11th century, it provides a detailed and intimate portrayal of the life of the aristocracy during the Heian period. The novel is central to the video's theme as it discusses its author, content, and influence on Japanese culture and literature. The video script mentions that the novel is written for a female audience and provides a nuanced view of love and relationships.

💡Murasaki Shikibu

Murasaki Shikibu is the pseudonym of the female author who wrote The Tale of Genji. Born into a noble family, she served as a lady-in-waiting and was known for her literary talent. Her name, which translates to 'Ceremony Purple,' reflects the cultural significance of color and rank in Heian Japan. The video emphasizes her role as a pioneering female author in a male-dominated literary landscape and her influence on the portrayal of emotions and relationships in the novel.

💡Heian Period

The Heian Period (794–1185) was a time of significant cultural development in Japan, marked by the rise of the imperial court and the aristocracy. The video script uses this term to provide historical context for The Tale of Genji, highlighting the novel's reflection of the social norms, artistic sensibilities, and political dynamics of the era. It also discusses how the period's isolation from China allowed for a unique Japanese cultural identity to emerge.

💡Hikaru Genji

Hikaru Genji, or 'Shining Genji,' is the protagonist of the novel and a central figure in the video's discussion. He is depicted as a handsome, sensitive, and romantic prince who engages in numerous love affairs. The video explores Genji's character development, his quest for meaning, and the various romantic and political adventures that shape his life, illustrating the complexity of love and relationships in the novel.

💡Mono no aware

Mono no aware is a Japanese aesthetic concept that captures the beauty of transience and the emotional response to the fleeting nature of life. The video script connects this concept to the novel's portrayal of love and relationships, suggesting that the novel's characters experience a profound sense of the impermanence of life and the poignancy of human connections. It is exemplified in the novel's treatment of love as both beautiful and sorrowful.

💡Buddhism

Buddhism plays a significant role in the video's discussion of The Tale of Genji, as it influences the novel's themes of suffering, impermanence, and the pursuit of detachment. The video mentions that some characters, in an attempt to escape the cycles of love and suffering, become Buddhist nuns, reflecting the religious and philosophical currents of the time.

💡Court Japanese

Court Japanese refers to the highly formal and stylized language used by the aristocracy during the Heian period, which The Tale of Genji was written in. The video script notes that the language of the novel is difficult for modern readers, requiring special skills to understand. This highlights the cultural and linguistic barriers that can exist between historical literature and contemporary audiences.

💡Yamato-damashii

Yamato-damashii, or the 'Japanese spirit,' is a concept mentioned in the video that refers to a sense of national pride and cultural identity unique to Japan. The video discusses how The Tale of Genji came to be seen as an embodiment of this spirit during the Meiji period, as Japan sought to assert its cultural independence from China. The novel's portrayal of Japanese values and aesthetics was used to define a distinct national identity.

💡Patriarchy

Patriarchy is a social system in which men hold primary power and are dominant in roles of political leadership, moral authority, and social privilege. The video contrasts Western patriarchal values with what it suggests is a more maternal and nurturing aspect of Japanese culture, as exemplified by The Tale of Genji. It discusses how the novel provides a female perspective on relationships and power dynamics, challenging traditional patriarchal narratives.

💡Translation

Translation is the process of rendering text from one language into another while preserving its meaning. The video script mentions that most modern Japanese readers access The Tale of Genji through translation, given the complexity of the original Court Japanese. It highlights the importance of accurate and accessible translations in making classic literature available to a broader audience and in preserving cultural heritage.

Highlights

The Tale of Genji is considered the world's first novel, written by a female author, Shikibu Murasaki, a thousand years ago.

Lady Murasaki was born into a noble family and served as a lady-in-waiting and personal poet for a princess at the Heian court.

The novel is thought to be primarily written for a female audience, reflecting the social dynamics and romantic interests of the time.

Shikibu Murasaki's name is a pseudonym, reflecting the formalities and name customs of the Heian period.

The characters in the novel are referred to by their ranks rather than names, which can be confusing for modern readers.

Japanese women of the time were not allowed to use Chinese, the language of literature, which was considered a masculine domain.

The novel provides a unique perspective on the Heian period, as much of the literature from that era was written by women.

The Tale of Genji is set during a period of peace and isolation in Japan, with no mention of wars or conflicts.

The novel has 54 chapters that can be read separately, possibly written in installments by Murasaki.

Hikaru Genji, the protagonist, is a prince with a quest for meaning in life and romantic adventures with various women.

Genji's character is complex, showing signs of nervousness, anxiety, and stress, despite his charm and beauty.

The novel explores the theme of love in all its forms, from beautiful and poetic to tragic and horrible.

The Tale of Genji is noted for its subtlety, with much left to the reader's imagination regarding romantic encounters.

The novel follows a Buddhist view of life as suffering, with affairs often ending in sorrow and anguish.

The concept of mono no aware, or the fleeting sadness that is beautiful, is a significant theme in the novel.

The Tale of Genji provides an emotional record of the Heian period, offering a woman's perspective on historical suffering.

The novel suggests that love itself, rather than the people involved, is the cause of misery.

The Meiji period saw a resurgence of interest in The Tale of Genji as a symbol of Japanese cultural identity.

Today, most Japanese know of the tale but few have read it, with many reading it in translation due to its archaic language.

The Tale of Genji has been praised by literary figures such as Jorge Luis Borges and Virginia Woolf for its realism and psychological depth.

Transcripts

Hi everyone,

The tale of Genji is considered world’s first  ever novel written exactly a thousand years  

ago by a female author Shikibu Murasaki.  In this video I will summarise the novel,  

tell you about the author and its influence  on Japanese literature as well as politics. At  

the end I will tell you a few interesting things  about the tale, so make sure you watch to the end.

First let me talk a little the about authors,.

Lady Murasaki (973 or 978 – c. 1014  or 1031)-was born to a Japanese noble  

family called Fujiwara in the capital city of  Kyoto. She was employed as a lady-in-waiting,  

which basically means a tutor and personal poet  for a princess at the Heian court, where she  

was asked to write entertaining tales. As we  can see in the Tale of Genji, it appears it’s  

primarily written for a female audience. The sex  in the city of the day. Or 50 shades of poetry.

Shikibu Murasaki is not her real  name, simple means ceremonial purple.  

In fact all the characters in the Tale  of Genji are called by their rank,  

not by name, so it can make the  reading confusing. Even today in Japan,  

there is a higher level of formality when it  comes to names. Surnames or company names are  

used more than first names. I sometimes think  why we have names at all? We should just call  

one another by the colour of clothes. Today  I am purple and tomorrow yellow. So much fun.

Without her real name, some people think she  didn't write it, also maybe because she was  

woman. When you read her description of the  masculine beauty quite obsessively there is  

no doubt it was written by a woman. At the time,  Japanese women were not allowed to use Chinese,  

the language of technology and literature,  considered a masculine space. But the irony  

is that most of the text available today  about the Heian period was written by women.  

They most wrote in Kana writing system which  today is mostly for children in Japan. Who  

knows a thousand years from today, they  discover what kids write these days.

Japan at the time was distancing itself from  China as the Tang dynasty, the most innovative  

and advanced empire, had declined. Japan was  becoming more isolated and nationalistic.  

Japanese art and literature was emerging from  the shadow of the Chinese. This was also a  

period of peace, as there is no mention of any  wars in the Tale of Genji. Like Basil Fawlty,  

don't mention the war. Even Genji’s  political exile for two years is voluntary.

Now let me summarise the novel.

The Tale of Genji has 54 chapters that can  be read separately, perhaps she wrote them  

in instalment. It tells the story of Hikaru  Genji, a prince and his romantic adventures  

with women and his quest for meaning in life.  Genji is the son of the emperor and a concubine,  

therefore he’s not pure blood. With no  royal duties, he chase women and smoke weed  

like Prince Harry. He is not only beautiful  as his name Hikaru means shining, he is also  

a poet and a thinker and a very sensitive man,  which women valued at the time. He’s in search  

of a perfect woman, in doing so he sleeps with a  lot of them, some are his wives and some through  

secret affairs, some old, young, high rank, low  rank. He even he has a child with his step-mother,  

behind his father’s back. He doesn't get  everyone he wants though. Some women refuse,  

some escape and some become Buddhist  nuns to stop all men from pursuing them.

Genji lost his mother at a young age,  so he is infatuated with any woman who  

resembles his mother. Wow, very Freudian.  He kidnaps a 10-year old girl, Murasaki,  

not the author but a girl who resembles Genji’s  mother, in order to raise her as the perfect lady  

and sleeps with her when she is only 12. She  becomes a central character throughout the  

novel and Genji seems to love her the most, but  of course cheats on her a million times and her  

suffering brings the most anguish for Genji.  Her death seems to be his own end as well.

Genji is not just a womaniser  or a playboy, he is nervous,  

anxious, stressed of secrecy, has bad dreams and  goes through the ups and downs of any romance.  

Despite all this, he cannot stop. One  could say he was obsessed with women,  

but never satisfied. Other men go for women  of power and money. But Genji’s motivation  

seems to be purely romantic or sexual and always  goes for the difficult or unusual relationships.

Most women can’t resist him either,  as he seems to have everything, look,  

brain and access to the royal court. There are no  villains in conventional sense. One can say Genji  

is the hero and a villain at the same time, as he  causes a lot of miseries on his wives, especially  

Murasaki. But there is one lady whose spirit  seems to haunt everyone. Lady Rakujo. But even  

she is not a real villain, so the book seems to  suggest there is no good and evil and we are both.

The book covers some 70 years, all  Genji’s romantic and political adventures.  

After Genji’s death it takes a more  pessimistic tone as it follows his  

son’s and grandson’s romantic adventures.  Genji’s death is marked by an empty chapter,  

which is a clever storytelling device. The  English author David Mitchell uses it in  

his Number9Dream by leaving the last  chapter empty, I’m currently reading  

a Brazilian novel, which I will make a  video later, also uses a similar device.

In those days married couples slept in  different rooms, so this allows frequent  

affairs to take place. A lot of communication  happens through gestures and poetry. If you’re  

expecting some hot, steamy sex scenes, you will be  disappointed. You have to read between the lines  

or read 50 Shades of Grey. The Tale of Genji  is very subtle. The rustle of silken dress,  

youthful voice, suppressed laughter, these are  all you get, the rest? Your own imagination.  

Despite not having a clear plot, The tale of  Genji reads like a modern novel as the people  

and their emotions are portrayed realistically,  despite their archaic mode of communication.

Overall it is about love in all  its forms, from the most beautiful,  

poetic and sublime to the  most ridiculous, tragic and  

horrible. Romance in all its colours that  even today’s novels find too risky to tackle.

Ok, now I am going to share things  that I found interesting in this novel.

The main theme of the novel follows the Buddhist  view that life is nothing but suffering. All  

the affairs result in sorrow and anguish. Very  little triumph. Sorrow is somewhat glorified as  

beautiful instead of overt happiness. The Japanese  concept mono no aware, which is literally means  

everything is passing. A fleeting sadness that is  beautiful. The most unique thing the Tale of Genji  

offers is that for the first time in history we  have an emotional record of a historical period.

Women cry a lot. Men define a perfect woman  as loyal, cultured, passive and someone who  

ignores a man’s shortcomings. Also she doesn't  speaks the masculine, coarse Chinese language,  

but speaks the feminine Japanese. And she is not  concerned with politics. Interestingly, Japanese  

people even today don't discuss politics openly.  men and women. A perfect man? Good-looking, with  

lots of skills, poetic but above all a sensitive  man. Perhaps for the first time we read a woman’s  

perspective on how they suffered throughout  the history in the hands of men. However,  

you get the feeling, Murasaki the author wasn't a  big fan of many women, except the young Murasaki,  

Genji’s beloved wife. The author Murasaki and  Genji’s wife, Murasaki are not the same person.

On the surface we might think Genji has a  fantastic life, lots of women, no real job to do,  

always goes from one ceremony to another, and  lives a luxurious life as a emperor’s son,  

but most of the time he is in distress, and  unhappy. With every new sexual conquest,  

he has to suffer with anxiety that comes after.  Which seems like the author is taking revenge  

on men, but in reality she depicts a real person  and who cannot help it. It appears Lady Murasaki  

knew men so well that despite what most women  thought of men as terrible for causing women  

a lot of misery. But the author knows that on  a deeper emotional level men are the losers.  

At the end Genji acknowledges the suffering of  women in the hands of men. His beloved wife,  

Murasaki’s selflessness, sacrifices and  silent suffering cause the most pain on  

Genji. Roance is questioned here. It’s not the  people involved, it is love itself that causes  

misery. Very similar to Proust. We all desire  things we cannot have. Love and jealousy are  

inseparable. For as long as we love, we suffer.  So a few women escape this vicious cycle of love,  

jealousy and hate, by becoming Buddhist nuns. I  suppose it has a buddhist message that in order  

to be happy, you should really detach yourself  from love, money and power and so forth.

Meiji period (1870-1912) Japan adopted western  technology but went for everything Japanese as  

opposed to Chinese. Shintoism became state  religion, not Buddhism because it had come  

from China. Nationalism demanded Japanese cultural  identity. So intellectuals and scholars found the  

Tale of Genji like a sacred text to show Japanese  superiority. For example Shinobu Orikuchi,  

a Japanese folklorist, asks what is China? He  answers, the people who don't know the Tale of  

Genji. Another intellectual, Eto Jun suggested  that the West values patriarchy while Japan is  

very maternal and points at this novel as  evidence. Yamato-dammashi (or the Japanese  

spirit) was first mentioned in this tale. Yamato  is the name of Ancient Japan, before the contact  

with China who named it Japan or the land where  the sun rises from and the arrival of Buddhism.  

Just remember at the Heian period, the Japanese  loved everything about China and especially the  

Tang Dynasty. Murasaki praises the Japanese  spirit that grows within a Chinese education,  

but later intellectuals and politicians understood  the whole work as a Japanese and nothing else.  

But today, most Japanese know the tale taught  in schools, but very few people have read it.  

I think it was the interest from the West that  prompted the Japanese to value it even more.

The funny thing is that most Japanese today  read the Tale of Genji in translation.  

Why? It was written in court Japanese for the  select few educated courtiers, very formal. It’s  

taught in schools and with some level of  special skills and dedication a Japanese  

can understand it. The most accessible  translation of The Tale of Genji into  

English is The Tyler Genji of 2001 as  it explains everything in the footnotes.

It’s not an easy read but it has a few  famous fans. Jorge Luis Borges whom I  

talked in my Argentine Literature video, was a  huge fan for its depiction of human passion and  

psychological depth. Virginia Wolf too  loved this novel. It’s true Don Qixote  

has a more Aristotelian structure of beginning,  middle and end, but there is no doubt about the  

level of realism and psychological depth in the  Tale Genji to make it the first modern novel.

In the next video, I will compare this novel  with the Persian epic of Shahnameh by Ferdowsi.

I am on a journey to read books and stories from  every country on earth, so if you want to tag  

along, please subscribe, share and comment, as it  helps the channel. Thank you and happy reading!