- Paperback: 1120 pages
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd; New edition edition (20 Nov 1980)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0140443908
- ISBN-13: 978-0140443905
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 16 x 5.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
27,366 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #44 in Books > Fiction > Poetry & Drama > Poetry > By Period > Classical, Early & Medieval
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Tale of Genji was written around the turn of the last millenium, when the Heian court of Japan was at its zenith.
Murasaki Shikibu's work has been called the world's first psychological novel and is a masterpiece far ahead of its time.
It tells the tale of the life of a Prince, Genji and how his life reflects the fortunes of the Japan of 1000 years ago. Rich in metaphor, the book can be seen as reflective of Murasaki's view of a world in decline.
More than this, though, the book is a truly educational insight into life in the Heian court - a life unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Aesthetics, social values, sexual attitudes and religion are all illustrated in Murasaki's careful, understated style. It is also rich in poetry and provides a beautiful example of the importance of poetry to Japanese society; an appreciation that has continued to the present day.
It contrasts with the work of Murasaki's contemporary, Sei Shonagon's "The Pillow Book", in both style and attitude but together they describe a society, almost unimagineable in modern times.
Seidenstecker has undertaken the monumental challenge of translating the medieval Japanese so that an English-speaking audience might enjoy The Tale of Genji, which stands alongside the finest of the world's great works of literature.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read this translation when it first appeared and have reread it more than once since. I love it dearly. I have recently been reading the more recent translation by Tyler. It is scholarly and probably closer to the original, following Murasaki Shikibu's method of referring to characters by their current rank (which of course changes) or the place where they live (which changes) rather than by giving them a name, as Seidensticker does and as I believe translations to modern Japanese do.
To start with I was drawn into the Tyler version. But whilst, as he says, contemporaries would have been acutely rank-conscious and would have had no trouble with Murasaki Shikibu's allusive writing, this is not true for us. I was constantly having to check footnotes, and castlists at the start of chapters to find out what was going on - and I have read the Seidensticker version!
On a Kindle this eventually took away all the pleasure so I put Tyler away and went back thankfully to Seidensticker. It might be the one book that goes to that desert island.
To start with I was drawn into the Tyler version. But whilst, as he says, contemporaries would have been acutely rank-conscious and would have had no trouble with Murasaki Shikibu's allusive writing, this is not true for us. I was constantly having to check footnotes, and castlists at the start of chapters to find out what was going on - and I have read the Seidensticker version!
On a Kindle this eventually took away all the pleasure so I put Tyler away and went back thankfully to Seidensticker. It might be the one book that goes to that desert island.
Format:Paperback
"The Tale of Genji" was published in the 11th century, and it is one of the biggest novels with 1090 pages in the world.
The author, Murasaki Shikibu was the diarist, novelist, and lady-in-waiting at the royal court. She was interested in Genji, son of the Emperor, who lost his mother in the early life. This is the enchanting, intriguing, and secretive world where the people were only meant to marry someone who had been arranged by their ancestors or family. Up to the mid 1970s, there hadn't been any complete English translations of the Tale of Genji. Edward G Seidensticker, who is known as Japanologist had undertaken the depth research of Heian Royal Court and scrupulous translation work.
It is an essentially romantic between Genji and Murasaki Shikibu. Having been the principal diarist, she was given the opportunity to know a wide range of people, e.g. infants to grandparents of the royal family, famous dancers to koto players, participate in various events in the secretive world, and observe their behaviour. In the meantime, she fell in love with Genji, and so did Genji, and describes their life and feelings through the events and constrained world.
The masterpiece contains more than 800 poems quoted from famous poetry collections, which were relevant to the events and people's feelings. Narratives understandably sound very formal. Seidensticker uses the word of "displeased" and "displeasure, which English speakers don't often use in the everyday life.
"The Tale of Genji" has influenced a wide variety of literary authors and society in Japan over the years. The university recognised will bring you the authentic Japanese culture, some of which are still in practice in the present days.
The author, Murasaki Shikibu was the diarist, novelist, and lady-in-waiting at the royal court. She was interested in Genji, son of the Emperor, who lost his mother in the early life. This is the enchanting, intriguing, and secretive world where the people were only meant to marry someone who had been arranged by their ancestors or family. Up to the mid 1970s, there hadn't been any complete English translations of the Tale of Genji. Edward G Seidensticker, who is known as Japanologist had undertaken the depth research of Heian Royal Court and scrupulous translation work.
It is an essentially romantic between Genji and Murasaki Shikibu. Having been the principal diarist, she was given the opportunity to know a wide range of people, e.g. infants to grandparents of the royal family, famous dancers to koto players, participate in various events in the secretive world, and observe their behaviour. In the meantime, she fell in love with Genji, and so did Genji, and describes their life and feelings through the events and constrained world.
The masterpiece contains more than 800 poems quoted from famous poetry collections, which were relevant to the events and people's feelings. Narratives understandably sound very formal. Seidensticker uses the word of "displeased" and "displeasure, which English speakers don't often use in the everyday life.
"The Tale of Genji" has influenced a wide variety of literary authors and society in Japan over the years. The university recognised will bring you the authentic Japanese culture, some of which are still in practice in the present days.
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