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Portrayal of women in literature
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Recommended: Portrayal of women in literature
In the “The Broom Tree,” the main characters Genji, Tō no Chūjō and two acquaintances find themselves in a friendly debate regarding the various vices and virtue of women of the court. The story has only begun, but the narrator is already introducing the concept of an ideal woman and as the story progresses, an image of the ideal man emerges as well.
The chapter opens with Genji and his friend in his room on a rainy day, and spotting some love letters lying around, Tō no Chūjō broaches the topic by declaring “I have finally realized how rarely you will find a flawless woman, one who is simply perfect” (20). Genji's rejoinders with “But do you suppose any girl could have nothing to recommend her?” (21).
With such parameters set the discussion between these young men swings in different directions. Tō no Chūjō declares that “middle-born” offer the most merits, but Genji points out that distinguishing between such levels is arbitrary (21). The Chief Equerry posits that girls proud and beautiful from disreputable households have the most appeal, since by their very contrast they pique the interest. Genji silently rejects this idea, pointing out that unusually pretty girls are difficult enough to find among the highest class, let alone the lower ones. The Chief Equerry continues with his description of the best woman (25):
In the end, I suppose, [...] one should settle on someone wholly dependable, quiet, and steady, as long as there is nothing especially wrong with her, and never mind rank or looks.
Such a woman should be trusting and steady, and she should learn to accept her husband's interactions with other women as a matter of course, thankful that their marriage rests on his first feelings for her. Tō no Chūjō agrees, b...
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...to me!” (116).
Genji's boldness is also a source of endless distress for Fujitsubo, who despite her love for him finds his persistence troublesome. After watching him dance, she thinks that “she would have like his dance still better if he were not so importunate in his desires” (129). Genji's indefatigable pursuit of his first love shows reemerges throughout the novel, despite all discouragement from the pursued herself. In a sense, Fujitsubo resistance makes her all the more desirable to the hero, while his continual gestures of desire for her renew their connection. In this way, the ideal woman and the ideal man are linked yet removed from the beginning of the tale, creating an undercurrent of tension that adds to the depth of Genji Monogatari.
Works Cited
Shikibu, Murasaki. Tyler, Royall, ed. and trans. The Tale of Genji. Penguin Group, New York:
2001.
Sometimes people are judged by their looks, and preferences will be made towards the more beautiful people before the less beautiful people. What individuals don’t put into account is that the person’s personality is part of their beauty. In Gail Tsukiyama’s novel, The Samurai’s Garden, through the characterization of Sachi’s personality and adversities, Gail Tsukiyama conveys the message that beauty is deeper than just the outside and this message is important because one shouldn’t judge someone just by their looks.
Ironically, Murasaki was able to write The Tale of the Genji in a patriarchal environment, which was typically dominated by male poets and historical writers. The background of this 11th century Japanese “novel” defines the unusual circumstances of a male-dominant literary culture, which allowed Murasaki to tell this story as a female author. In her own diary, Murasaki Shikibu writes about the power of patriarchal authority in the royal court, when she learns that the emperor was reading Tale of Genji. This aspect of 11th century Japanese society defines the assumption of ignorance and submissiveness that Murasaki had to endure as a female
...seful miscommunication between men and women. Lastly, when looking through the imagined perspective of the thoughtless male tricksters, the reader is shown the heartlessness of men. After this reader’s final consideration, the main theme in each of the presented poems is that both authors saw women as victims of a male dominated society.
feels that bothers her so. Her husband expresses his love for her but at the
Gatten, Aileen. "Review: Criticism and the Genji." The Journal of the Association of Teachers of Japanese 22.1 (1988): 84. JSTOR. Web. 26 Feb. 2011.
In every story, there is a protagonist and an antagonist, good and evil, love and hatred, one the antithesis of the other. To preserve children’s innocence, literature usually emphasizes on the notion that love is insurmountable and that it is the most beautiful and powerful force the world knows of, yet Gen’s and Carmen’s love, ever glorious, never prevails. They each have dreams of a future together, “he takes Carmen’s hand and leads her out the gate at the end of the front walkway… together they… simply walk out into the capital city of the host country. Nobody knows to stop them. They are not famous and nobody cares. They go to an airport and find a flight back to Japan and they live there, together, happily and forever” in which their love is the only matter that holds significance (261). The china
Stanley, D. A. (Ed.). (1999). Novels for Students Volume 7. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Research.
...lain a woman may be if truth and loyalty are stamped upon her face all will be attracted to her."
Although, he tries to better himself, Yunior’s awful treatment to women prohibit him from attaining a significant connection with them. His dishonesty erodes his strength, health, and his relationships with not only women, but his family and friends. Yunior realizes that his own heartbreak was his own fault due to betraying his fiance. His language of objectifying women only makes the reader see how disrespectful he is towards females. His words and actions towards his past lovers make him regretful and guilty for the hurt he put them though. He becomes aware of the fact that he lost someone precious which leads him to feel remorse for himself. His chaotic love life forces him to understand that he is horrible in the way he treats and views women, the relationship with his ex fiance was a real learning experience for him, and cheaters never
story points out that beauty has its cost as well, the power of being beautiful holds a great
Hopkinson uses the narrator to spread a moral similar to Perrault's three hundreds year ago. Girls, especially when young and inexperienced, need to be careful when encountering nice and charming men due to its risk to ends in a completely undesirable situation. This is when the grandmother intervenes, she tries to complete her granddaughter's education by notifying her on that special affair and which will provides her advices to avoid the same experience. Indeed, fairy tale has an educational mission in addition of its entertainment. Hopkinson provides a moral to the reader through a modern and revisited tale, maybe more adapted to nowadays reader but without weakening its quintessence.
Hopkinson uses the narrator to spread the same moral as Perrault did three hundreds year ago, girls, especially younger inexperienced girls need to be careful when they encounter nice and charming men, because it could end in completely unwanted situation. This is the reason why the grandmother intervenes, she tries to complete her granddaughter's education by telling her her own story in which she can find advices that will save her to bear the same experience as her grandmother. Indeed, fairy tale has an educational mission in addition of pure entertainment. Hopkinson provides a moral to reader through a modern and different tale, more adapted to nowadays reader but without weakening its quintessence.
...ic female figures in Ancient Japanese literature. His sentiment is basically that such acts are melodramatic and lead only to regret on her part (pg. 25). I took it to mean that Murasaki Shikibu was criticizing those old tropes used in Japanese literature, and the unrealistic standards (which the men in Chapter Two later admit are impossible) are a criticism of the expectations placed on women in Heian society. All in all, the book points at the despairing conditions of women in the Heian Period, and as for Genji, who is described by the author and other characters as “perfect” in every imaginable variation of words, it is made clear through his actions and decisions that he is not perfect, and tends to be quite selfish—signifying that the male ideal is also unrealistic and unattainable.
Immediately, the narrator stereotypes the couple by saying “they looked unmistakably married” (1). The couple symbolizes a relationship. Because marriage is the deepest human relationship, Brush chose a married couple to underscore her message and strengthen the story. The husband’s words weaken their relationship. When the man rejects his wife’s gift with “punishing…quick, curt, and unkind” (19) words, he is being selfish. Selfishness is a matter of taking, just as love is a matter of giving. He has taken her emotional energy, and she is left “crying quietly and heartbrokenly” (21). Using unkind words, the husband drains his wife of emotional strength and damages their relationship.
In the dawn of the 11th century, Murasaki Shikibu composes the novel, The Tale of Genji, in efforts of drawing parallels to the Heian era. The Heian period consists of classical Japanese history that is a prominent factor in the lives of the characters, traversing through the year 1008.