Role Of Femininity In Tale Of Genji

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The Role of the Feminine in Tale of Genji
Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu is one of the world’s first written novel shortly after the year 1000 in Japan's Heian era, when the capital was situated at Heian-kyo present day Kyoto. The Tale of Genji can be examined through the lens of the psychanalysis theory because its shows how the death of a Kiritsubo affects the childhood years of Genji leading up to his adult life. Genji is the hero of the Tale and is the son of the emperor. The narrative shows how the high class women had little to no power and had no choice in marriage; on the other hand, the lower class women had more power of having jobs. In the eleventh century in Japan women were subjugated to the patriarchal system that existed and were quickly substituted after death. Women in Japan were objectified and use to fill emotional voids men encountered. …show more content…

In chapter 9 of the novel, Aoi is unhappy in her marriage to Genji because of his philandering behavior. This makes it evident that women in Japan especially the bourgeoisies did not have a voice. Betinna Knapp states, “women of the Heian aristocracy lived, both physically and psychologically, in a world within. They were denied permission to speak directly to men except for their husbands, parents, or the closest of kin, and refused an education except when related to comportment, manners, religion, and the arts.” Women were also taken advantage of sexually for example, the scene in which Genji tried to lure Utsusmi by sweet talking her and making her promises until he carnally knew

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