Heian Court Culture Theme Analysis

The Tale of Genji follows the titular character from the year before his birth to what most scholars believe is some point in his forties, a period thought to be set in the early to mid tenth century. This era in Japan, known as the Heian period due to the capital city's move to Heian-kyō (now Kyoto), was generally a time of great cultural production in terms of poetry, music, and literature. There were also a number of customs and norms that guided court life in the Heian period—all of which help or trap Genji in turn, depending on how he feels about a given situation. In particular, Genji explores how the Heian period’s reliance on poetry and writing conventions, the customs of court life, and the importance given to the role of the city itself help Genji decide how and why to act. The tale ultimately shows that Genji and others were working within a complex system that both helped and hindered their personal activities.

From the beginning, the novel suggests that what court culture dictates as right or correct is oftentimes in direct opposition to what individuals want to see happen. This happens even before Genji's birth: his mother, the Lady of the Paulownia Court, is the Emperor's favorite concubine, but because none of the other ladies at court like her, the Emperor feels unable to name Genji (who immediately becomes the Emperor's favorite son) crown prince upon his birth. Instead, he makes Genji a commoner and gives him important roles at the court in that capacity, as this course of action keeps other powerful individuals (namely, his wife Kokiden and her father, the Minister of the Right) happy. This shows that the Emperor's court is very much focused on keeping up appearances, something from which even the Emperor himself, ostensibly the most powerful person at court, isn't exempt.

Because the politics surrounding Genji's birth illustrate that no one, no matter how powerful, can always get their way at court, it's no surprise that Genji too is trapped by the norms of this society, much to his constant consternation. This leads Genji to conduct many of his romantic affairs in secret, as it's vital that he maintain his image as an important figure who practices proper conduct. Even though having sexual relationships with multiple women is expected of him, Genji often makes unwise decisions regarding the particular women he becomes involved with, which means he then must figure out appropriate ways to mitigate the damage.

One of the most politically egregious of Genji's sexual affairs is with Oborozukiyo, one of Kokiden's (who is, by then, a queen regent) younger sisters. When the Minister of the Right discovers the two in bed together, both he and Kokiden are extremely angry. To right the situation, Genji feels he has no choice but to exile himself to Suma, a provincial town on the coast. When the subject of Genji's exile comes up, it's important to keep in mind that court life revolves around courtiers remaining in the city and being part of daily court functions, celebrations, and communications. The provinces, on the other hand, symbolize a life that's seen as disgustingly rustic and far removed from high society, so much so that being appointed a governor of a province is actually seen as a slight. Genji's choice to exile himself to Suma, then, illustrates one of the few ways someone can attempt to atone for making a fool of oneself at court. It's also important to keep in mind, however, that Genji is a beloved figure at court by everyone but the Minister of the Right and Kokiden, who effectively run the show at that time. Because of this, when Genji’s brother (and Kokiden’s son) Suzaku becomes emperor himself, he asks Genji to return early and resume his duties.

It’s clear that even more important than keeping up appearances is actually maintaining strong relationships with those at court. This, in turn, is done primarily through writing and the exchange of poetry, which reinforces the role of text as something that can make or break one's reputation: Genji's poems are compelling enough to help him return to the capital, while in other cases, such as that of the Rokujō Lady, her decisive and forward poetry causes Genji to cast her aside and end their sexual relationship, thereby removing her from a position of power at court.

By maintaining these close relationships and using them to his advantage, Genji is able to rise to the highest position possible under the final emperor of the story, the Reizei Emperor. Taken together, this event and the constant focus on court intrigue paints a detailed picture of Heian court life and court culture for a modern reader.