源氏物語紫式部

THE  TALE  OF  GENJIMurasaki  Shikibu

Murasaki  Shikibu

b. 978?　d. 1014?

Name comes from character “Murasaki” and position held by her father (Fujiwara Tametoki) in the “Department of Ceremony”

Murasaki  Shikibu

Accompanies father to Echizen after death of her sister

999 - marries Fujiwara Nobutoki

Much older Reputation as an amorous man

Murasaki  Shikibu

1000 - Murasaki has a daughter

1001 - Nobutoki dies

Starts writing Genji at this time?

Suma chapters written at Ishiyama-dera?

Murasaki  Shikibu

1006-07? enters court service of Empress Shōshi (a.k.a Akiko)

Murasaki  Shikibu

Three major works:

Genji monogatari

Murasaki Shikibu nikki

1008 -1010

Murasaki Shikibu shū

120 poems

You  know  you’re  famous  when...

His   Majest7   was   listening   as   someone   read   the   Tale   of   Genji   out   loud.  

“She’s   apparently   quite   learAed,”   he   said.   “She   must   have   read   the  

Chronicles  of   Japan!”  Aster  hearing  this,   the  Chief  Lady   in  Waiting  went  

around  repeating  to  ever7one,  “Oh,  she  has  such  gNeat  learAing,”  and  she  

starOed  referNing  to  me  as  Lady  Nihongi.

Murasaki  Shikibu  nikki

うちの上の源氏の物語人に読ませたまひつつ聞こしめしけるに 「この人は日本紀をこそよみたまへけれまことに才あるべし」とのたまはせけるをふと推しはかりにいみじうなむさえかあると殿上人などに言ひ散らして日本紀の御局ぞつけたりけるいとをかしくぞはべるものなりけり。

Two  Empresses

Empress  Teishi Empress  Shōshi

Sei  Shōnagon Murasaki  Shikibu  Izumi  Shikibu  Akazome’emon

弘徽殿・Kokiden

藤壺・Fujitsubo

飛香舎・  Hig7ōsha

Genji  monogatari

54 Chapters

800 + poems

Four generations / 70 years

Genji  monogatari

Set in the past...

...the Reign of Daigo tennō・醍醐天皇

Age of the Kokinwakashū

Engi-shiki・延喜式

Before Fujiwara dominance

���������

Genji  tennō Historical  tennō

The  Former  Emperor Kōkō  (r.  884-­‐887)

Ichi  no  In Uda  (r.  887-­‐897)

Kiritsubo Daigo  (r.  897-­‐930)

Suzaku Suzaku  (r.  930-­‐946)

Reizei Murakami  (r.  946-­‐967)

Genji  monogatari

54 Chapters

800 + poems

Four generations / 70 years

Three Parts:

I. Genji’s Youth and Career

Chapters 1 -33

II. End of Genji’s life

34 - 41

III. Uji Chapters

42 - 54

Genji  monogatari

Three Parts:

I. Genji’s Youth and Career

Chapters 1 -33

II. End of Genji’s life

34 - 41

III. Uji Chapters

42 - 54

• Birth of Genji • Marriage to Aoi • Minor Love affairs • Discovery of Murasaki • Conceives child with

Fujitsubo (Reizei) • Death of Aoi (Rokujō) • Marriage to Murasaki • Affair with Oborozukiyo • Exile at Suma

Ariwara  Yukihira Minamoto  Takaakira

貴種流離譚・Exile  of  the  Young  Nobleman

Literary / Romantic PoliticalRomantic

MARRIAGE

垣間見viewing through the fence

Genji  monogatari

Three Parts:

I. Genji’s Youth and Career

Chapters 1 -33

II. End of Genji’s life

34 - 41

III. Uji Chapters

42 - 54

• Exile at Suma • Association with Akashi

Lady • Return & Rise to Power • Adoption of Akikonomu • Murasaki’s “adoption”

of Akashi Princess • Death of Fujitsubo • Rokujō mansion

北

東

南

西

HanachirYsatoTamakazura

MurasakiAkashi  Princess

Akashi  Lady

Akikonomu

春

夏冬

秋

Genji  monogatari

Three Parts:

I. Genji’s Youth and Career

Chapters 1 -33

II. End of Genji’s life

34 - 41

III. Uji Chapters

42 - 54

• Rokujō mansion • Yūgiri comes of age • Tamakazura • Genji losing control • Typhoon • Tamakazura’s marriage • Yūgiri and Kumoi • Akashi Princess • The royal visit

Genji  monogatari

Three Parts:

I. Genji’s Youth and Career

Chapters 1 -33

II. End of Genji’s life

34 - 41

III. Uji Chapters

42 - 54

• The Third Princess • Murasaki threatened,

but controls emotions • Akashi Princess bears

son (Niou) to Kinjō • Kashiwagi pursues the

Third Princess • Kaoru is born /

Kashiwagi dies • Murasaki dies • Genji dies

Genji  monogatari

Three Parts:

I. Genji’s Youth and Career

Chapters 1 -33

II. End of Genji’s life

34 - 41

III. Uji Chapters

42 - 54

• Hachi-no-miya, younger brother of Genji has two daughters: Ōigimi and Naka-no-kimi

• Kaoru is purported son of Genji and Third Princess (but real father is Kashiwagi)

• Niou (Genji’s grandson) is son of Akashi Princess and Kinjō

Genji  monogatari

Three Parts:

I. Genji’s Youth and Career

Chapters 1 -33

II. End of Genji’s life

34 - 41

III. Uji Chapters

42 - 54

• Ōigimi’s rejection / deflection of Kaoru results in Niou marrying Naka-no-kimi

• Ōigimi dies, tormented by guilt for the unhappy situation she has put her sister in

• Kaoru and Naka-no-kimi

• Naka-no-kimi deflects Kaoru (Ukifune)

Genji  monogatari

Three Parts:

I. Genji’s Youth and Career

Chapters 1 -33

II. End of Genji’s life

34 - 41

III. Uji Chapters

42 - 54

• Ukifune is Naka-no-kimi’s half sister (a lookalike for Ōigimi)

• Kaoru and Niou both go after Ukifune

• Ukifune tries to drown herself

• Kaoru learns that she is alive and seeks her out

• She’s taken vows and will not see him

Genji  monogatari

Three Parts:

I. Genji’s Youth and Career

Chapters 1 -33

II. End of Genji’s life

34 - 41

III. Uji Chapters

42 - 54

Genji 源氏

SUZAKU 朱雀

* The Heir Apparent,

eldest son of Emperor

and Kokiden Consort.

Tō no CHūJō 頭中将

MinisTer of THe riGHT 右大臣

MinisTer of THe LefT 左大臣

PrinCe HYōBU 兵部卿宮

KiriTsUBo eMPeror 桐壺帝

pGRAnD CoUnCeLLor 大納言

p forMer eMPeror 先帝

KiriTsUBo 桐壺

aoi 葵の上

KoKiden 弘徽殿

sHi no KiMi 四の君

fUJiTsUBo 藤壺

* Fourth daughter of

the un-named Former

Emperor

KiriTsUBo's MoTHer 母北の方

ōMiYa 母宮

eMPReSS 母后

Lineage Chart for Kiritsubo

Genji 源氏

Tō no CHūJō 頭中将

Left ConTroller 左中弁

* Half brother of Tō no Chūjō

MinisTer of THe lefT 左大臣

PrinCe HYōBU 兵部卿宮

KiriTsUBo eMPeror 桐壺帝 KiTAYAMA

PrelATe 僧都

p insPeCTor GrAnD

CoUnCellor 按察大納言

p forMer eMPeror 先帝

pKiriTsUBo 桐壺

olD nUn 尼君

Aoi 葵の上

MUrAsAKi 紫の上

fUJiTsUBo 藤壺

pMUrAsAKi's MoTHer

姫君

Lineage Chart for Wakamurasaki

Genji 源氏

Tō no CHūJō 頭中将

MinisTer of THe LefT 左大臣

MinisTer of THe riGHT 右大臣

KiriTsUBo eMperor 桐壺帝

ViCeroy prinCe 帥宮

Heir AppArent 春宮

* Later Suzaku Emperor

p forMer eMperor 先帝

KoKiDen 弘徽殿

oBorozUKiyo 朧月夜

Wife of V.p. 帥宮の北の方

foUrTH prinCess 四の君

aoi 葵の上

MurAsAki 紫の上

prinCe HyōBU 兵部卿宮

fUJiTsUBo 藤壺

Lineage Chart for Hana no en

Genji 源氏

Reizei 冷泉 *

* Father thought

to be Kiristubo

Emperor, but

actually Genji

YūGiri 夕霧

Tō no CHūJō 頭中将

MinisTer of THe LefT 左大臣

KiriTsUBo-in 桐壺院

Suzaku 朱雀帝

HiGHness of CereMoniaL 式部卿宮

p forMer MiniSTeR 大臣

p forMer CroWn PrinCe 前坊

KoKiDen 弘徽殿

asaGao 朝顔

roKUJō 六条御息所

aoi 葵の上

aKiKonoMU 斎宮 *

* Identified in this chapter as the High Priestes of Ise

fUJiTsUBo 藤壺

ōMiYa 大宮

Lineage Chart for Aoi