Lady Murasaki Shikibu 976?–1031?
Author of the First Novel
Little is known about the life of the writer Murasaki Shikibu (moo rah SAH kee SHEE kee boo). She was born during a time that is considered the golden age of Japanese culture. According to her diary, she studied Chinese as a child. Later, she studied Chinese and Japanese literature. As a young woman, Murasaki worked for the Japanese emperor's wife. From 1008 to 1010, she kept a diary of her life at the imperial court. Almost nothing is known about her after that time.
Lady Murasaki left behind not only her diary, but the world's first novel, The Tale of Genji. The Tale of Genji is a huge work. It consists of 54 parts with over 400 characters. The main character is Hikaru Genji, a son of the emperor. The setting of the book was the imperial court of emperor Heian-kyo (hay ahn KYOH). This was a world Lady Murasaki knew well. In The Tale of Genji, she used her knowledge of the court to create a fascinating, complex story of love and loss. The result is an early masterpiece of Japanese and world literature.
Critical Thinking
Why do you think Lady Murasaki chose to write about the imperial court?