Dec 24, 2009

The Tale of Genji | Historical Context

Heian Era (794-1186)
The era gets its name from the capital, which in 794 moved from Nara. It occupies the area today known as Kyoto. Heian means "peace and tranquility." The capital was built to accommodate almost exclusively the emperor and the ranked hierarchy of the court. The scope of The Tale of Genji, then, is the refined aristocrats and not the society at large. All that was considered noble, beautiful, and worthwhile resided in the capital. Therefore, Genji's exile to the mountains and his relationship to a country woman would be seen as vulgar.

Genji,...