10.09.09
Shikibu: The Tale of Genji
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Through the waving, dancing sleeves
Could you see a heart
So stormy that it wished to be still?
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From the longest conventionally-read novel, we come to the arguable first novel: The Tale of Genji, attributed to Murasaki Shikibu. Written in 11th century Heian Japan, it manifests the period’s poetic and artistic pinnacle.
The cultivation of the cast’s intimate and inward characterization is so remarkable that the writing has even been compared to that of Proust’s, and when we imagine that this work appeared centuries before Chaucer and Shakespeare, we remain in wonder. Yet, its merits do not end there. Despite being originally scribed for a female audience, even the 1968 Nobel Laureate Yasunari Kawabata attests that it is Japanese literature’s zenith; and come to think of it, The Tale of Genji was written by a woman.
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None of my quasi-reviews would be quite complete without the personal impressions a book has left on me, so please bear with me. Even though I was swooning over the very beautiful narrative and the way the characters conversed in poems, I was afraid during the earlier part of the book that all it did was chronicle the amorous adventures of this “shining Genji” who is both brilliant in artistic talents and appearance. Genji is portrayed as being lovable and the reader cannot help but adore his qualities, but being a sort of Casanova repulsed me somehow. Fortunately, he desired to make amends towards the end. Nevertheless, understanding that the tale was written by a woman, I saw it not as a depiction of an emperor’s favorite son, but more of the women’s lives in such a setting and period… and this aspect brought me to such a lovely pensiveness. These women had beauty, musical and artistic talents, and everything in between – but seldom true love, and certainly, not freedom.
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Note: The edition I have is the “Seidensticker Genji” and all three hundred and sixty pages is a mere abridgement, also by Seidensticker. He has purportedly omitted the parts that are unessential to the main story, but I am still curious about those portions and would love to read an unabridged publication later on.
Thank you, Tonet, for the pretty souvenir from Japan. The Japanese girl bookmark deserved to be amidst the pages of such a rarity.
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sopraninigabi said,
October 9, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Another merry little coincidence… at this very moment, we are in the midst of discussing Ancient Japan in our Asian Civilization class. :)
sopraninigabi said,
October 9, 2009 at 3:45 pm
This book features prominently in our discussion. :) There was a movie version made, it’s available in youtube! :)
Miracle ♪♫ said,
October 10, 2009 at 12:10 am
How interesting, Gabi! Would you mind sharing bits of your discussion here? =)
I wasn’t aware of the movie being in YouTube. They say its been adapted to opera as well! Perhaps it’s in there too! I’ll go straight to YouTube after this… *wanders off to see a handsome Genji* =P
Miracle ♪♫ said,
October 10, 2009 at 12:52 am
Haha… oh… Genji’s role is played by a woman. hahaha No more handsome Genji. =P
twinnie antoinette said,
October 10, 2009 at 9:45 am
You are most welcome Mir!!!!! I bought those two bookmarks just for you and for Dandi from Sanzen-in Temple in Kyoto. ; ) I sure will read Shikibu’s after Kim Edward’s. . . Thanks a lot! GOD bless!!!
Miracle ♪♫ said,
October 10, 2009 at 10:47 am
God bless you too, Twinnie!
Kyoto! It’s even more fitting then. The bookmarks are indeed very special.
Ah, Memory Keeper’s Daughter? How is it? Haven’t read that one yet. =)
Anonymous said,
October 10, 2009 at 2:09 pm
i thought it was for sale… o_o
Miracle said,
October 10, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Hello there! I usually include a price tag with the title whenever I post books for sale. =)
karlo said,
October 17, 2009 at 1:39 pm
cute bookmark. hope to get one like that in the future. :)
Miracle ♪♫ said,
October 19, 2009 at 9:19 am
It is, Karlo, and it compensates for the “missing” Velasquez bookmark. haha I hope you do get one in the future. =)