In Genji's Defense . . .

[slobbit]

It occurs to me this item might be of some use, from Anthony Bryant's Sengoku Daimyo page:
Forced Affection:
Rape as the First Act of Romance in Heian Japan.

Disclaimer: I write. One of my characters is quite a bit of a Genji, but all his affairs are consensual . . . eventually.

Comments

[telophase]

Interesting! Thanks!

[coffeeandink]

That was fascinating. Thank you for recommending it.

[rushthatspeaks]

Okay, now I really want to read Torikaebaya.

[rachelmanija]

Me too!

I also thought it was quite interesting that there's a specific term for this: "A yukari is a sort of spiritual and physical substitute for another person. The theme of the yukari is a common one in monogatari literature, where a man (and it is invariably a man) is searching for a woman to replace another woman, be it a dead lover, an unapproachable one, or just someone important in his past."

[coffeeandink]

After reading, I put in a request for it at the library, since I couldn't find any used copies running less than $87.