When the Emperor learns a former princess, Lady Fujitsubo, looks very similar to Genji’s lost mother, His Majesty (the Emperor) is thrilled to bring her into the palace. Because of this, Kokiden especially resents Genji’s magnetic looks and personality.
Additionally, the Emperor’s Kokiden Consort dreams of being Empress but is usurped by the Lady Fujitsubo, since the latter has had a son, Suzaku, earlier than Genji was born, and whom the Kokiden Consort intends to have be the rightful heir to the throne, as opposed to Genji. His father the Emperor is inconsolable, despite the resentment of the court towards the lady and her lowly status. Genji’s mother dies when he is 3 years old. Rather than confine Genji under a form of royalty, where he may suffer as a leader and would only draw criticism for his mother’s poor status, as a commoner, Genji can live more freely, and remain near his beloved father. Though Genji is born to a low-status concubine without any political support, the Emperor (His Majesty) so loves the mother (Lady Kiritsibu) and her new son that, as Genji grows, his brilliance and physical beauty sway his powerful father to make him an official commoner (with the surname Minamoto). Again, the abridged Tyler translation only focuses on most of the first segment and some parts of the second segment of the full tale, highlighting Genji’s youth, his exile and return, and the beginning of his later life. The first two sections in an unabridged text are focused on Genji, and the last part (not included here) chronicles two members of Genji's eventual family tree, Niou and Kaoru.
The non-abridged, full text of The Tale of Genji is usually considered to be in three segments. He eventually finds that such an untarnished reputation is not so easy to maintain in his older years.
Because of Genji’s beauty, grace, and traits,which the narrator often acknowledges are indescribable, in his youth he is favored beyond all expectation and birth status. Also called the "Shining Genji,” he is the son of a Japanese emperor (Emperor Kiritsubo) and the Emperor’s low-ranking Intimate courtesan (Lady Kiritsibu). The Tale of Genji follows the political rise, love affairs, and social codes surrounding the title character Hikaru Genji.
0 kommentar(er)
