It's all dakiwiboid's fault...!
She alerted me to the existence of this forum, knowing my life-long interest in Genji.
My acquaintance with ToG began in college, when an instructor read aloud the Yugao chapter. After reading the entire book for myself, I felt that there had indeed been something a little different going on in that chapter. G exhibited the same sort of behavior as would characterize him throughout the chapters, but Yugao, while nearly invisible, seemed to make a long-lasting impression on him while he was still young enough (and perhaps impressionable enough) to take it to heart - at least for awhile.
Thought it was altogether tacky however, that Genji later on got hold of Yugao's daughter Tamakatsura and then couldn't decide whether to be her papa or her lover.
I wonder: did Genji's Heian-era readers find him sexy and desirable? Or a blackguard? What, if any, of that society's mores/rules did he break in his behavior?
Firefly67
My acquaintance with ToG began in college, when an instructor read aloud the Yugao chapter. After reading the entire book for myself, I felt that there had indeed been something a little different going on in that chapter. G exhibited the same sort of behavior as would characterize him throughout the chapters, but Yugao, while nearly invisible, seemed to make a long-lasting impression on him while he was still young enough (and perhaps impressionable enough) to take it to heart - at least for awhile.
Thought it was altogether tacky however, that Genji later on got hold of Yugao's daughter Tamakatsura and then couldn't decide whether to be her papa or her lover.
I wonder: did Genji's Heian-era readers find him sexy and desirable? Or a blackguard? What, if any, of that society's mores/rules did he break in his behavior?
Firefly67