The Tale Of Genji By Royall Tyler: An Analysis

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Have you ever fallen in love with a ten-year-old girl? Chances are probably not. In The Tale of Genji, translated by Royall Tyler, the hero does fall in love with one—our heroine, however. The book tells the story of the esteemed Genji’s—son of the Japanese Emperor—various love and sexual experiences. Chapter five focusses specifically on his pursuit of Murasaki. The young girl, while far too young to understand the nuances of romance, is pursued and eventually taken by the charming yet asinine nobleman. Taken? No, kidnaped is a better word. Now, while this sounds like reprehensible behavior, Genji is still the hero of the story. And Murasaki is his heroine. Meaning he holds connections to Radway’s ideal hero. Both Radway’s hero and Genji are …show more content…

Even though some of his actions are questionable at best, and he didn’t have to open up to the heroine, Genji puts on a caring exterior for Murasaki. Telling her that she is welcome to “’sleep on [his] lap’” (Tyler 115). While this may have been more-so for his own wants, it still reflects his effort to consider her needs—in this case, how the young flower is sleepy. The narrator also states, “He (Genji) devoted himself… to making Murasaki feel at home” (Tyler 124). Not to mention how one of his decisions is derived from fear for her fate and wellbeing: “’[If she went to her father’s place,] she might be treated more as a nuisance… since she does not yet understand very well what is expected of her’” (Tyler 114). Despite such an action being reprehensible, he did it out of love and adoration rather than sinister …show more content…

It’s undeniable that Genji is a powerful member of Heian Society. His father is the emperor. Not to mention that Genji will have people lining up to meet him: “Genji was entering his carriage [to leave the temple] when a crowd of young gentlemen… arrived to see him home” (Tyler 103). If Men as noble as they would come to such a remote place just to see someone home, he has to be important. But what about money? When Genji is leaving the temple, he ‘sent for the varied gifts, formal and informal” (Tyler 102). A trip like this couldn’t have been cheap as is, but he still had the money to reward the temple’s inhabitants generously after his stay. And, even as he wallows in self-pity over his forbidden loves, he still decides to go out and smash, “He… made up his mind to visit the lady he had been seeing in secret” (Tyler

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