![]() Despite a dramatis personæ of some four hundred characters, it maintains internal consistency for instance, all characters age in step, and both family and feudal relationships stay intact throughout. There is no specified plot, but events happen and characters simply grow older. It has many elements found in a modern novel: a central character and a very large number of major and minor characters, well-developed characterization of all the major players, a sequence of events covering the central character's lifetime and beyond. The Tale of Genji may have been written chapter by chapter in installments, as Murasaki delivered the tale to aristocratic women (ladies-in-waiting). Consequently, Murasaki is believed to have partially informed the character of Genji through her experience of Michinaga. Murasaki was writing at the height of the Fujiwara clan's power- Fujiwara no Michinaga was the Regent in all but name, and the most significant political figure of his day. It may be the world's first novel, the first psychological novel, and the first novel still to be considered a classic particularly in the context of Japanese literature. The tale concentrates on Genji's romantic life and describes the customs of the aristocratic society of the time. For political reasons, the emperor removes Genji from the line of succession, demoting him to a commoner by giving him the surname Minamoto, and he pursues a career as an imperial officer. The work recounts the life of Hikaru Genji, or "Shining Genji", who is the son of an ancient Japanese emperor (known to readers as Emperor Kiritsubo) and a low-ranking concubine called Kiritsubo Consort. ![]() The first English translation was attempted in 1882 by Suematsu Kencho, but was of poor quality and incomplete. It was not until the early 20th century that Genji was translated into modern Japanese by the poet Akiko Yosano. It is written in archaic language and a poetic and complex style that make it unreadable to the average Japanese speaker without specialized study. The work is a unique depiction of the lifestyles of high courtiers during the Heian period. It was made in " concertina" or orihon style: several sheets of paper pasted together and folded alternately in one direction then the other. The original manuscript, created around the peak of the Heian period, no longer exists. 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 courtier.The Tale of Genji ( 源氏物語, Genji monogatari, pronounced ) is a classic work of Japanese literature written in the early 11th century by the noblewoman and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu. 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. ![]() Lady Murasaki Shikibu wrote this story some 500 years before Shakespeare put pen to paper. Though wary of his motivations at first, she becomes the true love of Genji's life. His romantic life with Murasaki, Fujitsubo's beautiful niece and Genji's favored lover. His lifelong obsession with Fujitsubo, one of the emperor's lovers and mother to Genji's son Ryozen. His birth in the royal court to Kiritsubo, who comes to represent Genji's ideal of female beauty and grace. In this beautifully illustrated edition, Genji's story comes alive as readers experience: 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. 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. Tale of Genji, the world's oldest known novel, tells the story of Prince Genji and his adventures in life, love, and power within the halls of the Chrysanthemum Royal Court. ![]() Handsome, romantic, and talented in the art of seduction, Prince Genji skillfully navigates the court and all its intrigues-alwa Step into a story of life and love in Kyoto's 10th century royal court. Step into a story of life and love in Kyoto's 10th century royal court. ![]()
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