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A Multi-Dimensional Analysis of Utsusemi's Role in the Tale of Genji and the Living Landscape of Women in the Heian Period

Author(s)

Lishi Huang

Affiliation(s)

School of Foreign Languages, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China

Abstract

The Tale of Genji, written by the female author Murasaki Shikibu during the Heian period, is not only a masterpiece of Japanese classical literature but also the oldest surviving full-length novel in the history of world literature, possessing irreplaceable literary and historical value. The work centers on the life trajectory of its protagonist, Hikaru Genji, connecting the emotions and destinies of dozens of noblewomen. While delicately depicting love entanglements, it vividly recreates the political dynamics, class structure, marriage system, and aesthetic trends of the aristocratic society of the Heian period. This paper focuses on Utsusemi, a representative middle-ranking female character in the work, breaking through the traditional single-dimensional analytical framework centered on emotional relationships. Instead, it examines the critical junctures of her life—birth, marriage, emotional choices, and the social role transition of taking monastic vows—against the social backdrop of the survival struggles of mid-ranking nobles, the plight of women under patriarchy, and the status hierarchy system of the Heian period. Through an in-depth analysis of Utsusemi’s complexity and typicality as a character, the paper reveals the era's defining features and the depth of human nature embodied in her image, offering a more holistic perspective for the study of female characters in The Tale of Genji.

Keywords

Utsusemi; The Tale of Genji; Heian Period; Murasaki Shikibu

References

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