The Tale of Genji

Often hailed as one of the world’s first novels, “The Tale of Genji” was written between 1000 and 1012. The author and noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu draws upon her experiences as a lady-in-waiting at the Imperial Court to create a narrative that, over 10 centuries later, still engages and intrigues. Written in an archaic Japanese style that was both complex and poetic, the original manuscript no longer exists. However, the story it brought so vividly to life is preserved through a series of remarkable translations.

The poet Akiko Yosano’s early 20th-century translation first made “The Tale of Genji” accessible to modern audiences. Since then, the depictions of daily life in the Imperial Court during the Heian period have captivated successive generations of readers. The book revolves around Hikaru Genji, the son of an ancient Japanese emperor and low-ranking concubine, Kiritsubo Consort. When Genji’s father removes him from the line of succession and demotes him to the rank of a commoner, he attempts to improve his fortunes by becoming an imperial officer. Although it lacks a plot in the traditional sense, the novel’s nuanced characterizations,penetrating psychological insights, and contemporary account of life in an ancient Japanese court have cemented its reputation as a literary classic.