Overview
Murasaki Shikibu's expansive novel, The Tale of Genji, explores the psychological, romantic, and political complexities of mid-Heian Japan. The narrative covers four generations, blending poetry and romance while maintaining a keen awareness of life's fleeting nature.
Evanescence
The theme of evanescence is a central element that weaves through much of the story. As defined by The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition, evanescence means "to dissipate or disappear like vapor." In The Tale of Genji, the characters possess a profound appreciation for beauty, an aesthetic known in Japan as miyabi. This admiration is tempered by an awareness of the fleeting nature of all things, especially life. This theme aligns with Buddhist teachings that emphasize the illusory nature of surface phenomena. This pervasive mindset infuses the novel with a subtle tone of melancholy, often expressed by the Japanese term mono no aware, meaning "the pity of things."
Throughout the narrative, many characters, mindful of life's transitory beauty, choose to take religious vows. Characters such as Fujitsubo, Genji's old nurse, and Ukifune attempt to retreat from the material world. Although Murasaki and Genji consider taking vows, they ultimately decide against it. These characters exhibit an understanding of the transient nature of earthly time and possessions. Murasaki portrays Genji as a multifaceted character who is keenly aware of the inherent sorrow in his existence.
The Law of Karma
The notion of moral causality is employed in the novel to clarify events. Fate is linked to past lives, where virtuous deeds are rewarded and wrongful ones are punished, ensuring justice prevails. For example, Kaoru seems to suffer from extreme misfortune, but he realizes that his actions must have justified this bad luck. "His thoughts on the road were of long ago. What strange legacy had brought him and the Eighth Prince together? A bond from an earlier life, surely, had tied him to this family and its sad affairs, and made him see to the needs of this last foundling, even."
Genji is highly aware of the cause-and-effect relationship of his actions. His remorse frequently predicts future consequences, and he is concerned about the impact on others. "The bishop talked of this ephemeral world and of the world to come. His own burden of sin was heavy, thought Genji, that he had been lured into an illicit and profitless affair. He would regret it all his life and suffer even more terribly in the life to come."
William J. Puett states in Guide to The Tale of Genji, "To the Heian mind karma neatly accounted for the apparent inequities in the world: why one man, despite his virtue, seemed to have nothing but troubles to live with, or why another was blessed with continuous satisfaction. It was also employed to explain such strong emotional affinities as when one falls in love at first sight, for people once bonded together in a previous life were likely to be pushed together by force of karma."
Substitution
In The Tale of Genji , male characters often find comfort in women who remind them of lost or unattainable loves. The Emperor, Genji's father, is devastated by Kiritsubo's death until he encounters Fujitsubo, who bears a striking resemblance to her. Genji himself is drawn to Fujitsubo as a maternal figure, and later becomes enamored with Murasaki because she resembles Fujitsubo. His interest in Yugao and her daughter Tamakazura also stems from a singular love. Towards the novel's conclusion, Kaoru, thought to be Genji's son, is first infatuated with Oigimi, then her younger sister Nakanokimi, and eventually a half-sister named Ukifune. Kaoru's relentless and intense pursuit of Oigimi highlights the powerful need for...
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a substitute.
Richard Bowring, in Landmarks of World Literature, observes that "...in The Genji, this substitution largely relies on the principle of similarity. Desire, seen as original sin, will always prevail, so when the initial object of desire becomes unattainable, attention naturally shifts to the next closest option."
Jealousy
In the Heian society portrayed in The Tale of Genji, men commonly have multiple wives. A woman's social standing is partially based on her relationship with her husband. As a result, jealousy is deeply ingrained in the societal structure. Within the novel, jealousy can have fatal consequences.
The narrative begins with jealousy being wielded as a deadly tool. Kiritsubo, the Emperor's favored consort, becomes the target of vicious rumors, stirred by the resentment of the Emperor's other women. Sensitive and lovely, Kiritsubo eventually pleads to return to her family. "Fearing that even now she might be the victim of a gratuitous insult, she chose to go off without ceremony, leaving the boy behind." She ultimately dies, a mere shadow of her former self.
Several episodes of spirit possession in the novel are motivated by jealousy. Lady Rukujo's spirit takes control of Aoi, Yugao, and Murasaki. The first two women die as a consequence, while Murasaki falls gravely ill before eventually recovering.
Doris G. Bargen, in Yugao: A Case of Spirit Possession in The Tale of Genji, claims, "Jealousy is traditionally regarded as the major force behind spirit possession in the Genji because female grievances are revealed to be rooted in the polygynous system which constantly threatens women's status and lowers their self-esteem in the very sensitive matter of sexual relations."
Higekuro's wife also displays behavior linked to spirit possession. She flies into a jealous rage upon learning she might lose her status as the primary wife to a new mistress. In her fury, she pours ashes over her husband's head. While modern readers might empathize with her anger, readers in the Heian era, particularly men, would disapprove of such jealousy. Women were expected to accept their rivals almost as family. In fact, Genji cherishes Murasaki even more for her lack of jealousy.
Supernatural Events
The novel is rich with supernatural events that lend it a mystical aura. In the opening chapter, a Korean fortune-teller sways the Emperor's choice to bestow commoner status upon his son. Genji's bout of malaria is healed by an elderly mountain sage, who serves more as an exorcist than a doctor. A storm in Suma serves as a sign for Genji to relocate to Akashi. The Suzaku Emperor experiences an eye ailment following a dream about Genji's father. These and other supernatural events are intended to be interpreted literally.
Excessive Desire
In Japanese, the term for love truly conveys a sense of yearning. Consequently, love involves a surrender of self-control. Genji stands out as remarkably appealing and excels in everything he undertakes—be it painting, dancing, or writing poetry. Nevertheless, he lacks moderation in his pursuit of worldly pleasures, which Buddhism views as sinful. Although he is aware that he should not seek out Fujitsubo, Oborozukiyo, and numerous other women, he persists in doing so. This imperfection underscores the human experience in The Tale of Genji.