Who Is Genji The Perfect Man?

Literature from any day and age can reflect any time period from any perspective, some books are written as if they are in the past, some are written in theoretical futures. Some are autobiographical or totally factual and some make things up to make something seem better than it really is, or to teach a moral. But by looking at the content of literature, one can see a part of the world the author lives in as well. You can see what is important to them and general beliefs they hold that are transferred through their work. Also, by looking at what is popular and widespread, you can also get a general idea of the beliefs of the people of the time. And furthermore, by looking at literature in a time line, you can also observe changes and innovations in the world reflected

The story is of a boy named Genji, son of the Emperor of Japan and his various pursuits and troubles. It gives a lot of insight once again into court life in medieval Japan and also into what people consider attractive in a person. Genji is constantly described as almost a perfect man, and as the book was wildly popular in its time, one can also say that it described what a lot of people felt was the perfect man. If people didn’t agree with a lot of things in the book, it would not have become as popular as it would be an inaccurate portrayal of human life. The role of women in life as they wait and the philandering ways of men became very apparent through the book. Religion and proper action played a part in the novel as well as Genji often refrained from doing things because it would be incorrect of him to do so. Prayers and rituals are also described (although not in much detail) showing that they still had a place in life (if not a very big one). The work was still highly idealized and somewhat of a fantasy due to the perfection of Genji and some of the