The Tale of Genji

So here is my essay pitch. . . . .

I would like to write my essay on The Tale of Genji.  So I have a few different angles I could approach this essay from.

1. Exploring what it means to be a man ---- and feminized

In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is feminized is specific and impactful ways.  Both his physical appearance and actions are described in feminine way.  He loves Enkidu as a woman would love Enkidu and is quite beautiful.

In The Tale of Genji (or the sections I have read so far) I found that Genji was similarly feminized.

I realize that the feminization comes from completely different ideas, because these two pieces come from completely different times and cultures.  In Japan there is an ancient idea of Bishonen (beautiful men—androgynous-- mostly adolescents back in the day!!) and men with feminine features are even to this day considered very attractive. 

(google search J rock-- If you dare. I wanted to add a picture and chose not too-- You're welcome  :D

 

Also Genji actually has sex with another man (or I should say boy—creepy pedophile!) a practice that was actually not that strange in ancient Japan.  It seems being male or female was determined more by their place in society than their sex (Leupp pg. 26).  Anyways, this angle could be so fun and filled with gender and culture!

2. Exploring what it means to be a hero—or should the main character be a hero?

This could take so many forms (how exciting!)

I could compare Genji with Gilgamesh again but this time show how their characters develop into heroes or don’t ever develop into heroes.  

• How does the novel differ from myth (or epic) in showing heroes?
• In both of these I could explore how the fact that The Tale of Genji was written by a woman for women.
• I could also compare The Tale of Genji to The Pillow Book which was also written by a woman around the same time and place.

There are countless ideas I could explore just using The Tale of Genji, I don’t even need Gilgamesh or any other main text.  The novel is like 1,000 pages, extremely complex and still has a huge impact on Japanese culture!

Some Sources---  

Keene, Donald. Japanese Literature: An Introduction for Western readers. Charles E. Turtle          Company. Rutland, Vermont and Tokyo. 1955.  

 Leupp, Gary P. Male Colors: The Construction of Homosexuality in Tokugawa Japan. University of California Press. Berkley and Los Angeles, California.1999. pp. 26.