The Tale of Genji

by Murasaki Shikibu

the shocking coldness of the young wife of the Vice Governor of Iyo—his lady of the molted cicada shell.

Genji felt sorry for the old man, and though he was put off by the coldness of the young wife, he admired the fact that she had rejected him for the sake of her husband.

the lady of the evening faces.

Since he had never felt this way before, he was compelled to ask himself what sort of bond might he have shared with the lady in a previous life to make his heart susceptible to such obsessive feelings in spite of his efforts to control himself.

The lady was deeply ashamed that the hurly-burly of uncouth men getting up to go about their menial lives should be happening so near her quarters.

the lady at Rokujō

Why, he asked himself, does the lady at Rokujō always have to dwell on things so obsessively? Why can’t she rid herself of that possessiveness, which is so uncomfortably stifling?

What karmic bond brought us together?

There had never been anyone as handsome as Genji in the world, and since good looks are unlucky, His Majesty had always felt anxious, doubtful that his son would live long.

the young wife’s stepdaughter?

Up to this point I had refrained from exposing all his messy, sordid affairs, which he tried so hard to keep hidden from prying eyes. I did so in part because I felt sorry for him, but then people started criticizing me, saying that my account was just so much fiction and asking me, “Is it because he is the child of an Emperor that people like you, who know him, feel compelled to sing his praises as

he were perfect in every way?” Well, now I suppose that by exposing his sins I will be censured for having said too much, or for being spiteful.

The vision of the mountain cherry Continues lingering inside me Though I left my feelings there with you

“lady of the evening of the misty moon”

Because everyone was so overjoyed for her, there was a concern that such happiness could invite bad fortune, and so various prayers and rituals of abstinence were commissioned in order to ensure safe delivery for mother and

child.

She’s getting above herself with these superior airs. Genji was irritated and resentful. When a courtship has gone as far as ours, it is

customary for the woman, even one whose high status makes her difficult to approach, to set aside her stubborn willfulness and yield. Could it be that she is belittling me for my loss of status? It would hardly be appropriate under the circumstances to force myself on her, but to lose a battle of wills with her would make me look pathetic.

The Akashi lady

Gosechi lady

his lover at the villa of the scattering orange blossoms.

lady of the Gosechi dance

Hitachi Princess—Genji’s Princess Safflower.

lady of the molted cicada shell—

The brother was amazed to find that, after all these years, there was still a place in Genji’s heart for an affair he should have forgotten long ago.

achingly beautiful

These people look for beauty, must live with beauty, even if it hurts them.

It was Genji’s nature never to waver in his devotion to a woman once

he had developed feelings for her, and so

he sent frequent messages of concern and condolence to the bereaved Princess. She, however, had not forgotten all of the complications his attentions had caused her, and as a result her replies to him were anythi...

acquired a touchingly quiet, melancholy atmosphere.

there may be many places where my account is suspect.

Several asides to her readers.

an age and status when pursuing such an affair was no longer proper.

Truly, the world is an uncertain place.

Oft repeated sentiment .

unpleasantly weird

Weird is bad .

Genji found her unyielding attitude shockingly cruel.

Cruel is the word for women who reject his advances.

After all, in terms of looks, sensibility and reputation he was very much the ideal man,

The author is in love with her character.

Murasaki couldn’t help but think about how difficult such foolish games were.8 She tried to bear up, but how could there not have been moments when she cried? “You seem strangely not at all yourself ... I have no idea why,” he said,

Ass.

Such, it has been reported, were his thoughts and feelings ... deplorable, were they not?

Even more wonderful was the sight of butterflies delicately fluttering about, dancing in the shade of a hedge spilling over with mountain rose in bloom.

These descriptions of court scenes are captivating ...

Think of me as your real father and recognize that my feelings for you are not common.” His actual feelings were blindingly shameful, and so he could hardly bring those up to her.

For someone with such paternal devotion, he was incredibly forward.

Genji’s deplorable sentiments and his tendency to be roused by rejection revealed a perverse temperament.

because she spoke so quickly,

her words did not seem as if they made any sense, even when she

said something genuinely meaningful o...

Murasaki seemed to me like the cherry blossom,

while Tamakazura is a mountain rose. And the Akashi Princess? She’s like

a cluster of wisteri...

incense

he had chosen specifically to set off his calligraphy, the manner in which he adjusted the grip on his brush and his expression of concentration made for a scene that discerning, sensitive people would have found truly breathtaking.