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Genji
Fujitsubo is one of the Emperor's favorite lovers. She comes to court when Genji is seven or eight, having been summoned by the Emperor because she looks like the deceased Lady of the Paulownia Court. However, because she's even more beautiful and perfect than the Paulownia Lady, she doesn't suffer the abuse that her predecessor did. When Genji learns that Fujitsubo looks like his mother, he's very touched; yet as he grows up, he develops an unhealthy obsession with and attraction to her. The Emperor doesn't discourage this when Genji is younger, which leads Genji to pursue the relationship years laters. When Fujitsubo goes home ill at one point, Genji rapes her. She becomes pregnant with Reizei, Genji's child, though she allows the Emperor to believe that the baby is his. This causes Fujitsubo a great deal of stress, as she fears that her power and position could be taken away at any minute were he to find out about Reizei's paternity. She also worries about Kokiden's wrath, especially when the Emperor names Fujitsubo empress not long before his death. In the aftermath of her rape, it's also somewhat unclear whether or not Fujitsubo does indeed nurse secret affection for Genji, as she often finds herself caught between trying to keep him as far away from her as possible and letting him know in small ways that she does have feelings for him. At one point, however, Genji makes Fujitsubo very ill by attempting to rape her a second time. After this, when Reizei is a small child, Fujitsubo makes the decision to remove herself by court life and from Genji's advances by becoming a nun. This proves an effective way to keep herself safe, and she and Genji are able to agree to maintain respectful contact for Reizei's sake. When Reizei takes the throne, Fujitsubo is unable to be treated as a real empress or a regent, but she's given the honors of a retired empress. Genji also gives her many of his paintings from his time in exile.
Fujitsubo Quotes in The Tale of Genji
The The Tale of Genji quotes below are all either spoken by Fujitsubo or refer to Fujitsubo. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
The Paulownia Court
Quotes
Because she was of such high birth (it may have been that people were imagining things) she seemed even more graceful and delicate than the other. No one could despise her for her inferior rank, and the emperor need not feel shy about showing his love for her.
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Lavender
Quotes
She did not seek to hide her distress, and her efforts to turn him away delighted him even as they put him to shame. There was no one else quite like her. In that fact was his undoing: he would be less a prey to longing if he could find in her even a trace of the ordinary.
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An Autumn Excursion
Quotes
Fujitsubo was tormented by feelings of guilt and apprehension. Surely everyone who saw the child would guess the awful truth and damn her for it. People were always happy to seek out the smallest and most trivial of misdeeds.
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In the Seventh Month, Fujitsubo was made empress [...] Making plans for his abdication, the emperor wanted to name Fujitsubo's son crown prince. The child had no strong backing, however [...] The emperor therefore wanted Fujitsubo in an unassailable position from which to promote her son's career.
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Heartvine
Quotes
Genji felt like a child thief. The role amused him and the affection he now felt for the girl seemed to reduce his earlier affection to the tiniest mote. A man's heart is a very strange amalgam indeed!
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Memories had dimmed over the years, but now the astonishing resemblance did a little dispel his gloom. The dignity that quite put one to shame also reminded him of Murasaki. He could hardly think of them as two persons, and yet, perhaps because Fujitsubo had been so much in his thoughts over the years, there did after all seem to be a difference.
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"Though I leave behind a world I cannot endure,
My heart remains with him, still of that world.
And will be muddied by it."
The Sacred Tree
Quotes
She was quite aware of Kokiden's feelings and knew that a world at the service of the other lady would be difficult to live in.
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Fujitsubo Quotes in The Tale of Genji
The The Tale of Genji quotes below are all either spoken by Fujitsubo or refer to Fujitsubo. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
The Paulownia Court
Quotes
Because she was of such high birth (it may have been that people were imagining things) she seemed even more graceful and delicate than the other. No one could despise her for her inferior rank, and the emperor need not feel shy about showing his love for her.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Lavender
Quotes
She did not seek to hide her distress, and her efforts to turn him away delighted him even as they put him to shame. There was no one else quite like her. In that fact was his undoing: he would be less a prey to longing if he could find in her even a trace of the ordinary.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
An Autumn Excursion
Quotes
Fujitsubo was tormented by feelings of guilt and apprehension. Surely everyone who saw the child would guess the awful truth and damn her for it. People were always happy to seek out the smallest and most trivial of misdeeds.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
In the Seventh Month, Fujitsubo was made empress [...] Making plans for his abdication, the emperor wanted to name Fujitsubo's son crown prince. The child had no strong backing, however [...] The emperor therefore wanted Fujitsubo in an unassailable position from which to promote her son's career.
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Heartvine
Quotes
Genji felt like a child thief. The role amused him and the affection he now felt for the girl seemed to reduce his earlier affection to the tiniest mote. A man's heart is a very strange amalgam indeed!
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Memories had dimmed over the years, but now the astonishing resemblance did a little dispel his gloom. The dignity that quite put one to shame also reminded him of Murasaki. He could hardly think of them as two persons, and yet, perhaps because Fujitsubo had been so much in his thoughts over the years, there did after all seem to be a difference.
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"Though I leave behind a world I cannot endure,
My heart remains with him, still of that world.
And will be muddied by it."
The Sacred Tree
Quotes
She was quite aware of Kokiden's feelings and knew that a world at the service of the other lady would be difficult to live in.
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