The Tale of Genji

The world's first novel, in a translation that is "likely to be the definitive edition . . . for many years to come" (The Wall Street Journal) The inspiration behind The Metropolitan Museum of Art's "The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated" -- Now through June 16 at The Met Fifth Avenue A Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, with flaps and deckle-edged paper Written in the eleventh century, this exquisite portrait of courtly life in medieval Japan is widely celebrated as the world's first novel. Genji, the Shining Prince, is the son of an emperor. He is a passionate character whose tempestuous nature, family circumstances, love affairs, alliances, and shifting political fortunes form the core of this magnificent epic. Royall Tyler's superior translation is detailed, poetic, and superbly true to the Japanese original while allowing the modern reader to appreciate it as a contemporary treasure. Supplemented with detailed notes, glossaries, character lists, and chronologies to help the reader navigate the multigenerational narrative, this comprehensive edition presents this ancient tale in the grand style that it deserves.

Murasaki Shikibu, born in 978, was a member of Japan's Fujiwara clan, which ruled behind the scenes during the Heian Period by providing the brides and courtesans of all the emperors. Lady Murasaki's rare literary talent, particularly her skill as a poet, secured her a place in the court of Empress Akiko. After the death of her husband, she cloistered herself to study Buddhism, raise her daughter, and write the world's first novel, Genji monogatari, the tale of the shining Prince Genji. Royall Tyler (translator), an American, is retired from the Australian National University, where he taught Japanese language and literature for many years. He has a B.A. from Harvard University and a Ph.D from Columbia University and has taught at Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Wisconsin. He has also translated The Tale of the Heiki and Japanese Noh Dramas for Penguin Classics.

The Tale of Genji - Murasaki Shikibu Translated by Royall Tyler Acknowledgments List of Maps and Diagrams Introduction 1. The Paulownia Pavilion (Kiritsubo) 2. The Broom Tree (Hahakigi) 3. The Cicada Shell (Utsusemi) 4. The Twilight Beauty (Yugao) 5. Young Murasaki (Wakamurasaki) 6. The Safflower (Suetsumuhana) 7. Beneath the Autumn Leaves (Momiji no Ga) 8. Under the Cherry Blossoms (Hana no En) 9. Heart-to-Heart (Aoi) 10. The Green Branch (Sakaki) 11. Falling Flowers (Hanachirusato) 12. Suma (Suma) 13. Akashi (Akashi) 14. The Pilgrimage to Sumiyoshi (Miotsukushi) 15. A Waste of Weeds (Yomogiu) 16. At the Pass (Sekiya) 17. The Picture Contest (Eawase) 18. Wind in the Pines (Matsukaze) 19. Wisps of Cloud (Usugumo) 20. The Bluebell (Asagao) 21. The Maidens (Otome) 22. The Tendril Wreath (Tamakazura) 23. The Warbler's First Song (Hatsune) 24. Butterflies (Kocho) 25. The Fireflies (Hotaru) 26. The Pink (Tokonatsu) 27. The Cressets (Kagaribi) 28. The Typhoon (Nowaki) 29. The Imperial Progress (Miyuki) 30. Thoroughwort Flowers (Fujibakama) 31. The Handsome Pillar (Makibashira) 32. The Plum Tree Branch (Umegae) 33. New Wisteria Leaves (Fuji no Uraba) 34. Spring Shoots I (Wakana 1) 35. Spring Shoots II (Wakana 2) 36. The Oak Tree (Kashiwagi) 37. The Flute (Yokobue) 38. The Bell Cricket (Suzumushi) 39. Evening Mist (Yugiri) 40. The Law (Minori) 41. The Seer (Maboroshi) Vanished into the Clouds (Kumogakure) 42. The Perfumed Prince (Niou Miya) 43. Red Plum Blossoms (Kobai) 44. Bamboo River (Takekawa) 45. The Maiden of the Bridge (Hashihime) 46. Beneath the Oak (Shiigamoto) 47. Trefoil Knots (Agemaki) 48. Bracken Shoots (Sawarabi) 49. The Ivy (Yadorigi) 50. The Eastern Cottage (Azumaya) 51. A Drifting Boat (Ukifune) 52. The Mayfly (Kagero) 53. Writing Practice (Tenarai) 54. The Floating Bridge of Dreams (Yume no Ukihashi) Chronology General Glossary Clothing and Color Offices and Titles Summary of Poetic Allusions Identified in the Notes Characters in The Tale of Genji Further Reading