World’s first novel which was written by Murasaki Shikibu in the eleventh century
1#Response to the following:
“The Tale of Genji,” is considered world’s first novel which was written by Murasaki Shikibu in the eleventh century. I agree with this classification because this full-length novel was written over a thousand years ago in Heian Japan. It was popular among the Heian court and still has significance as it provides as insight to what court life was like in that time period. Genji, the main character of the novel is the son an emperor and his political successes as well as romantic exploits make him a hero. As portrayed in “The Iliad,” and “The Odyssey,” the characters fought over women. The honor and pride were the two main aspects of life to Greeks. It can be seen in these three pieces of work that the lives of characters revolved around their pride. For instance, Achilles and Agamemnon in “The Iliad,” were in disparity because they believed that their honor was jeopardized in the decisions regarding their captives, Chryseis and Briseis. Similarly, in “The Tale of Genji,” Genji is depicted as a person who went through a lot just to fill his life with the women he desires. This work of literature comprises of lessons regarding life, love and loss.
The purpose of poems is to express feelings, emotions, and thoughts through words. It provides deeper understanding of language as the reader analyzes each and every written word. The poems in this story are conveyed naturally to reveal intelligence and magnificence. Genji, at several points in the novel expresses his love and desire for many women, but especially for Murasaki, the heroine, through poetry. The use of poetry also provides us a vision of how it was a crucial part of the ancient Japanese court.
2#Response to the following:
Written by the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early eleventh century, The Tale of Genji is a classic work concerning the son of a Japanese emperor, his romantic life and the customs of aristocratic society at the time. Though there is controversy about the classification of this literacy work, but in my opinion, The Tale of Genji is generally the world’s first novel. The main reason is that it has many elements found in modern novels today: a central character, major and minor characters, well-developed characterization, psychological insight, complexity, sequential events taking place upon a timeline based upon the central character’s lifetime. In common with many other lengthy novels, it also contains digressions, parallel plots, stories within stories, and changes in point of view.
Typically, Genji is recognizable by his sheer courage and physical strength. But these straits are not made very much pronounced. Unlike other common heroes, Genji departed from the traditional hero and redefined what it is to be one. He was made to become a hero in a different place, outside the commonly perceived situations and beyond the stereotypical strengths and characteristics and at many times, he was made to be the contrast to the classical definition of a hero such as in The Iliadand The Odyssey.
The use of poems in The Tale of Genji was to express characters’ feelings, loves, to communicate, and to display their knowledge and class status. Poetry was intertwined in the life of ancient Japanese court. Combining poems with exposition, interior monologues, and Murasaki’s own authorial asides made narrative text appears to run on so easily.
Answer preview to world’s first novel which was written by Murasaki Shikibu in the eleventh century
APA
357 words
