Noel Nicoletti
Many of the greatest novels of all time center their themes on issues of morality and the consequences of living righteous or evil lives. The Tale of Genji is no exception. Written by Murasaki Shikibu in the early part of the eleventh century, The Tale of Genji follows the exploits of Prince Genji and his descendants in the imperial city of Heian Kyo. The novel bursts with a wealth of knowledge of early Japanese culture and its fascination with beauty in many different forms. The characters in The Tale of Genji spend their lives seeking out aesthetic beauty while disregarding any concern for others. From Genji’s lack of respect for his father’s marriage vows to the subservient roles that women assume, the imperial palace swarms with vulgarity and inhumanity.
It may be helpful to gain some understanding of the author before proceeding. It was her life at court and experience in the class system that influenced her views of her culture. Murasaki Shikibu was the daughter of a provincial governor. Shikibu was a very bright girl but was held back because of her gender. Her father allowed her to be educated with her brother, and she excelled; in fact, she displayed greater skills than those of her brother, and this caused her father to mournfully declare, “If only you were a boy, how happy I should be!” Then, while in her late twenties, she received an invitation to court where she obtained knowledge of the court life. “She had the reputation of being virtuous (an unusual one in her circle) and . . . [some might say] she was something of a prude.” It is note-worthy that someone who was believed to be a moral and virtuous person could bring to life a story that depicts so much depravity. It is also worth mentioning that Shikibu’s authorship of the masterfully written Tale of Genji disturbed many Japanese Confucians because it was upsetting for a woman to have crafted such a beautiful and well-known piece of literature. Shikibu achieves ultimate revenge by becoming one of Japan’s most gifted authors and the creator of what some say is the world’s very first novel.
What might be moral to some may not be to others. Scholars have asked, “What are morals?” but they have never arrived at a universally accepted answer. Thus, for the purpose at hand, morals are defined as actions and conduct that further the greater good. There are three striking examples of immoral behavior that can exemplify the Heian culture’s lack of morality. First, Genji had an affair with his father’s wife, which tormented her and brought shame to the throne. Second, Genji kidnapped a child in order to marry her. Last, the women in the Heian culture were objectified and treated as pawns in a political game.
Respect for one’s parents is moral, and Genji shows a complete lack of respect for his father when he seduces his wife. Genji is infatuated with his father’s wife, Fujitsubo, from a very young age. As a boy, his father allows Genji to visit with her, and it is during this period of time that his obsession begins. When he is older, he visits her in order to seduce her, and although she shows restraint, he is eventually successful. Fujitsubo becomes pregnant with Genji’s child and although she is tormented with guilt, she allows the emperor to believe that the child is his. This scenario seems a better fit for daytime television than it does to the beautiful culture and heritage of Japan. Both Genji and Fujitsubo show little concern for the emperor by allowing such an immoral affair to occur. Furthermore, by allowing the emperor to believe that their child is his own, they commit an unspeakable crime against the child and bring disgrace to the thrown. This lack of concern for others is a constant theme in The Tale of Genji.
Respect for the sanctity of childhood should be an aspect of morality, but the “Shining Prince” participates in deplorable acts of selfishness and treachery against a child. Genji becomes seriously ill, and after various rituals and prayers prove to be unsuccessful, he and some of his attendants take a trip outside the palace to a temple to see a wise-man who is rumored to be a great healer. While there, Genji becomes awe-struck with a child who lives in a home that is visible from the sage’s cave. He pays a visit to the girl’s grandmother and asks if he may adopt her. The grandmother senses that he has odd intentions and respectfully declines his request. After the grandmother’s death, Genji abducts the child. It is after the abduction that Genji’s true intentions become apparent. He raises the child so that he can marry her when she is of an appropriate age.
Does Genji ever face the consequences of his despicable behavior? Absolutely not. The child’s father does not even attempt to recover his daughter. Where, then, is the accountability for evil doing? Genji participates in pedophilia and is still considered a pillar of morality and beauty among those at court.
It should not require a large stretch of the imagination to say that women deserve respect in society, but this, too, seemed like an alien belief in Heian culture. Women were used as devices for political ambition in the imperial palace. Men used their daughters to achieve higher rank or to position themselves in a more desirable political position through arranged marriages. In fact, during the Heian period, the Fujiwara family maintained control of the capital strictly through this process of endogamy.5 Women had no say in the choice of their own mate, and these women were often married to their own relatives. In some cases, they were wed to their own nephews. Not only is it immoral to wed one’s own relatives, it is also genetically risky, but this was done to maintain control of the capital. And, this objectification of women was acceptable.
Further proof of the lack of respect for women can be observed in Genji’s treatment of the women who dared to rebuff his sexual advances. The best example of this behavior occurred while Genji was on his way home from the Festival of the Cherry Blossoms. Genji finds an open door in the house of Lady Kokiden. He slinks around until he finds a woman to force himself upon. He even goes so far as to tell her, “It will do you no good [to fight off my advances]. I am always allowed my way.”6 This is not an isolated incident; it recurs throughout the novel. The lack of morality displayed by Genji in his heinous behavior is sickening. The fact that rape was an accepted form of fornication bares further witness to the immoral treatment of the women of the Heian period.
One could argue that the people of the Heian period acted in these less than admirable ways because it was the accepted way of life. Although tradition and custom help dictate behavior, it is possible that these people were aware of the inappropriate nature of their acts. Human beings are blessed with an inner voice, known as a conscience, which helps to decipher right from wrong. Surely, the people of Genji’s time possessed this faculty. One might also argue that people were prisoners of this system and that there was little that could have been done to change these customs. It is true that it is a difficult task to look at years of improper behavior and declare, “This is wrong!” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once wrote, “an unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal or natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.”
This philosophy is easily applied to make distinctions between immoral and moral behavior. The people of Heian Kyo consistently and willingly participated in behavior that degraded their fellow human beings. Just as Dr. King fought against racism in his time, the Heian aristocracy should have recognized the immorality that existed in their culture and taken action against it. Tradition is no excuse for immorality, and it is truly sad that a culture that puts so much emphasis on beauty could not see the lack of beauty in their behavior.
The Heian period’s idea of a “good” person was one who was well versed in ancient literature and song, wrote with both grace and eloquence, and dressed in an attractive fashion. “Artistic sensibility was more highly valued than ethical goodness”; in fact, their word for good, yoki, was used to describe physical beauty rather than goodness of deed. In The Tale of Genji, Murasaki Shikibu paints a picture of this world as she saw it: flawed and cruel. Genji lacks the most common of human decency. Throughout the novel, he and his fellow “beautiful people” mistreat one another and perpetrate various crimes against humanity without the slightest sign of remorse. One might think they are oblivious to the error of their ways. This is where The Tale of Genji delivers its most potent message. Murasaki Shikibu witnessed this behavior, and in an effort to shine light upon a subject that disturbed her, she produced this amazing tale of moral dilemma.