Murasaki Shikibu japanese novelist during the heian period
background information: the heian period
The Heian Period (794-1185) marked a time in Japan in which the nation flourished culturally. Borrowing the concept of centralized government from China, Japan morphed its governmental structures to mirror that of its Asian counterpart. Specifically, the Fujiwara family dominated the empire of Japan, and used their rule to drastically improve the arts in Japan, influencing the period's perception as Japan's Golden Age. One of the period's fundamental pieces, The Tale of Genji, by Murasaki Shikibuku, served as the basis for the first modern novel.
early life of murasaki shikibuku
Although the beginning of Murasaki Shikibu is fairly ambiguous, many scholars note that Murasaki Shikibu was born in 973 AD in Kyoto, Japan. Shikibu grew up as a daughter of a governor of a province and a well-known scholar.
HOW MURASAKI SHIKIBU'S EARLY LIFE INFLUENCED HER EDUCATION
Growing up in an erudite family, Murasaki was exposed to a rich education. During the Heian period, women were not typically extensively educated, but this was not the case in Shikibu's life. After the passing of her mother early in her life, Murasaki was raised by her father. Instead of merely learning fine arts, Shikibu was taught Chinese (a language that was considered improper for women at the time).
marriage
Murasaki Shikibu got married in her early 20's to a distant relative and they had a daughter. Shortly after, in 1001, Shikibu's husband died. After his passing, Murasaki was summoned to the court and spent her days as a maid of honor.
court life
Murasaki Shikibu was brought to the imperial court because of her reputation of incredible wit and shrewdness, and served as a lady-in-waiting to Empress Aiko.
Shikibu spent more than a decade in the imperial court, and during her time there, was able to gain excellent insight into the internal world of the royal workings.
Most importantly, Murasaki is said to have begun her famous novel, The Tale of Genji during her time at the imperial court. Shikibu additionally wrote a diary, titled Murasaki Shikibu's diary that describe life in court. The last literary mark that Murasaki left was her 128 poems. All of these works were published after Shikibu had passed.
the tale of genji
The Tale of Genji is considered to be one of the most important models in the context of modern novels. At its core, the story is about a handsome emperor and his career that follows. The story is complex with close to 400 characters. Most distinctively, the novel ends in the middle of a sentence (it has been debated whether this was intentional or not).
MURASAKI'S LATER LIFE
Little is known about Murasaki's later life. Some scholars believe that she left the imperial court in order to pursue her connection to Buddhism, and many estimate her death as occurring in 1014 or 1025.
murasaki in the context of the heian period
Murasaki Shikibu is critical to understanding the Heian Period for 2 primary reasons:
1) her challenging of gender roles
2) her authorship of The Tale of Genji
#1: challenging gender roles
Murasaki Shikibu was an incredibly educated woman in her time period. Typically, during Japan's Golden Age, women would only receive a basic education, with a focus on the fine arts. Contrary to this tradition, Shikibu learned Chinese and other advanced concepts because of her familial background. In this sense, Murasaki Shikibu's life and accomplishments help us understand the social constructs of the Heian Period
#2: her authorship of "The Tale of Genji"
Murasaki Shikibu's authorship of The Tale of Genji is critical because her novel served as one of the first modern novels of our time. The Tale of Genji provided the common Japanese people with insight into imperial life, and the novel continues to be read today. Taken together, these factors indicate that The Tale of Genji and the author behind the novel make Murasaki Shikibu historically significant.