The Tale of Genji, by Murasaki Shikibu

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be February 23, 2024.          We will discuss Chapters 1 through 17 of The Tale of Genji, by Murasaki Shikibu.  

Meeting Date & Time:

Date: February 23, 2024
Time: 7:00 pm

 Zoom On-Line Meeting:
— an email with link to join will be sent prior to meeting.
— the link is sent to a limited mailing list of frequent attenders.
— request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com.

About the Book:

The Tale of Genji is a classic work of Japanese literature written in the early 11th century by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu. The work is a unique depiction of the lifestyles of high courtiers during the Heian period. The work recounts the life of Hikaru Genji who is the son of an ancient Japanese emperor (known to readers as Emperor Kiritsubo) and a low-ranking concubine called Kiritsubo Consort. For political reasons, the emperor removes Genji from the line of succession, demoting him to a commoner by giving him the surname Minamoto, and he pursues a career as an imperial officer. The tale concentrates on Genji's romantic life and describes the customs of the aristocratic society of the time. It may be Japan's first novel, the first psychological novel, and the first novel still to be considered a classic particularly in the context of Japanese literature.