Mono no aware and The Tale of Genji
The phrase or notion of "mono no aware" is derived from the Japaneseword aware that in Heian Japan meant "sensitivity" or "sadness," to allthings pertaining to human existence. (Hooker, 1996) This helps a readerunderstand why, despite the fact that the hero Genji behaves with frequentinsensitivity to others, particularly to women, the text still considershim to possess a soul worthy of an entire saga. This sense of "mono no aware" also means that although Genji does notlive a good life, sexually and morally speaking Genji still lives, inessence, a truly Japanese and artistic life of the spirit. This is why hepossesses a sense of "mono no aware" bec
Utsusemi and Genji's eventual conquest of this woman's body may seemlike another matter entirely. Genji entersinto a sexual relationship with Fujitsubo because she is said tospiritually resemble his mother despite the fact that she is the consort ofthe Emperor's. Consider Genji's relations with the Consort Fujitsubo. Both women become nuns to remove themselves from Genji's advances. Thus, he takes her younger brother, Kogimi into hisservice as a page in Utsusemi's stead, blurring the line between brotherand sister and male and female, as his earlier relationship with theemperor's consort blurred lines of obligation to citizen and family. That narrative implies that, rather than requiring religious remove fromthe world to become good, what is needed to become truly sensitive andaware in a Japanese sense is to live, as Genji does, a morally imperfectlife, but with understanding. Hence her name-whichmeans the cast-off shell of a cicada. Genji acts immorally, yet does so against the emperor andconventional codes of conduct out of an interest to know his past better,and also because he believes that both he and the emperor's consort sharethe same sensitivity of soul. Yet even Genji understands he cannot have every woman he desireimmediately, and, in the grand scheme of life, all human souls are the sameunder the skin. ause he understands why he behavesas he does, understands its and his own personal imperfections, and thusthe imperfect and transient nature of human existence. Genji has a larger understanding of fidelity that transcends mere momentson earth, and stretches back to his connection to his mother and hersacrifices for him. The night after she leaves behind a gown forGenji to find, symbolizing her casting off of him. At first, Utsusemi is repelled by herinitial seduction by Genji. More important than strict Confucian fidelity to the emperor, forGenji, thus is the connection between himself and the emperor's consort.
Common topics in this essay:
Utsusemi Genji's,
Heian Japan,
Emperor's Genji,
Fujitsubo Genji,
,
mono aware,
Consider Genji's,
emperor's consort,
sense mono aware,
human existence,
sense mono,
|
Acceptance Essays
