The Reflection of the Concept of Marriage of Heian Japanese Aristocracy Revealed in Murasaki Shikibu's

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THE REFLECTION OF THE CONCEPT OF MARRIAGE OF HEIAN JAPANESE ARISTOCRACY REVEALED IN MURASAKI SHIKIBU’S THE TALE OF GENJI

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

By

YUNITA PRABANDARI Student Number: 084214081

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2015

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THE REFLECTION OF THE CONCEPT OF MARRIAGE OF HEIAN JAPANESE ARISTOCRACY REVEALED IN MURASAKI SHIKIBU’S THE TALE OF GENJI

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

By

YUNITA PRABANDARI Student Number: 084214081

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2015

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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma

Nama : Yunita Prabandari Nomor Mahasiswa : 084214081

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul

THE REFLECTION OF THE CONCEPT OF MARRIAGE OF HEIAN JAPANESE ARISTOCRACY REVEALED IN MURASAKI SHIKIBU’S THE TALE OF GENJI

Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.

Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

Dibuat di Yogyakarta Pada tanggal 31 Juli 2015

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

”No feeling will come across to others if you don’t put them into words.”

~Daidouji Tomoyo, Card Captor Sakura~

“There is no such a thing as coincidence in

this world, There only is necessity.”

~Ichihara Yuuko, XXXHolic~

“Sometimes indeed a woman should even pretend to know less than she knows, or say only

a part of what she would like to say…”

~Uma no Kami, The Tale of Genji~

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For

My Savior, Jesus Christ

My Parents

My Lovely Younger Sister

My Family

My Beloved Best friends

With all the LOVE that Jesus has thought me

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I thank my Saviour, Jesus Christ who gives His guidance and strengthen me to finish this undergraduate thesis. I also thank to my advisor, Elisa

Dwi Wardani, S.S., M.Hum. for being patient to guide and help me during my thesis writing process. I would like to thank her for her support and suggestions to improve and make my thesis better. I thank my co-advisor, Ni Luh Putu

Rosiandani, S.S.,M. Hum. for her guidance to fix any weakneses and improve my thesis to be better. I would also thank all of the lecturers and staff of English

Letters Department at Sanata Dharma University. I thank them for their support during my study.

Then, I thank my beloved and wonderful parents, Aprijanto Warsito and

Danny Aryatun, for their everlasting love and support during my study and in my life. I would also thank my lovely younger sister Silvia Putri Antonia who always helps me and cheers me up all the time, and my big family for their love and support during my thesis writing process.

I thank all my friends in English Letters Department, for being best friends, best family and great supporter in my thesis writing process.

I would also thank my Best Friends Forever, Monica Bendatu, Julian

Trlidanti, Hanna Maria, Ika Fitri Purnamasari, Hijikata Toshiba, who always suport me and help me in many way during my writing process. I also thank them for their love and also for letting me be a part of their wonderful life.

Yunita Prabandari

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE………………………………………………………...... ii APPROVAL PAGE……………………………………………………. iii ACCEPTANCE PAGE………………………………………………... iv STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY………………………………….. v LEMBAR PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH……... vi MOTTO PAGE…………………………………………………………. vii DEDICATION PAGE………………………………………………….. viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………… ix TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………. x ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………….. xii ABSTRAK………………………………………………………………. xiii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION……………………………………… 1 A. Background of the Study……………………………………. 1 B. Problem Formulation………………………………………… 7 C. Objectives of the Study……………………………………… 7 D. Definition of Terms………………………………………….. 9

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE………………………… 11 A. Review of Related Studies…………………………………... 11 1. Masterpiece of World Literature ……………………… 11 2. The World of the Shining Prince…………………… 12 3. Guide to the Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu…… 13 B. Review of Related Theories…………………………………. 15 1. Theory of Character and Characterization...... 15 2. Theory of Setting...... 16 C. Review of Heian Era of Japan Histories…………….………. 18 D. Review on Marriage During Heian Era……….……....……. 19 E. Theoretical Framework………………………………………. 20

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY…………………………………... 22 A. Object of the Study………………………………………….. 22 B. Approach of the Study………………………………………. 24 C. Method of the Study…………………………………………. 25

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CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS……………………………………………. 27 A. The Description about The Characters and Their Marriages……………………………………………..………. 27

1. The Description of the Emperor’s Character in Correlation to his Marriage ……………………….... 28 2. The Description of Genji's Character and Marriages' in Relation to their Marriage Life……...... 33 B. The Reflection of The Aristocratic Social Life in Heian era Through The Setting of The Novel…………………………. 39 C. The Reflection of the Concept of Heian Japanese Aristocratic Marriage Presented Through the Characters’ Marriages and the Setting in the Novel……………………………………… 47 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION………………………………………… 53

BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………. 56

APPENDIX...... 57 Summary of Murasaki Shikibu,s The Tale of Genji………...... 57

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ABSTRACT

PRABANDARI, YUNITA. The Reflection of the Concept of Marriage of Heian Japanese Aristocracy Revealed in Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji Translated by Arthur Waley. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.

The Tale of Genji written by Murasaki Shikibu is a story about the life of Hikaru Genji. The novel brings some issues about the culture of Heian Japanese aristocracy. The Tale of Genji is known as one of the few Japanese texts that (in the modern period) have had a global reach and it is also coming to be recognized as perhaps the world first novel. By that the writer wants to enrich the list of the literature which is used as the object of undergraduate thesis of English Letters Study Program. The purpose of this research is to find the concept of marriage of Heian Japanese aristocracy which is reflected in the novel. The first objective is to reveal and describe some important characters which are the most important element that have direct relation with the issue. The second objective is to describe the aristocratic society’s life that exists in the story. The last objective is to show the concept of marriage of Heian Japanese aristocracy by relating the concept of marriage with the description of the characters and the society. The writer used library research for this study. The primary source was the novel The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki Shikibu translated by Arthur Waley. The secondary sources were taken from various sources that conducted the analysis by considering its relevancy and appropriateness. The society mentioned in the novel is limited only about the aristocrats and imperial people. The first idea about the concept of Heian Japanese Aristocratic marriage is that the aristocrats follow the polygamy system, but it only works for the men since the society use patriarchal system. The second concept of Heian Japanese Aristocratic marriage is the equality of rank or social status between the groom and the bride decided to be the official/principal wife. The men allowed to have many concubines and it does not require rank equality. The third is the purposes of the marriage itself. The purposes are to legalize the relationship between two lovers, to gain prosperity and social status, and to bind two families which are agreed to give mutual benefit to each other.

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ABSTRAK

PRABANDARI, YUNITA. The Reflection of the Concept of Marriage of Heian Japanese Aristocracy Revealed in Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji Translated by Arthur Waley. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2015.

The Tale of Genji yang ditulis oleh Murasaki Shikibu adalah sebuah cerita mengenai kehidupan Hikaru Genji. Novel tersebut mengangkat beberapa hal mengenai kebudayaan aristokrasi Jepang di Era Heian. The Tale of Genji dikenal sebagai salah satu dari beberapa teks berbahasa Jepang yang (di periode modern) memiliki cakupan luas dan mulai diakui sebagai kemungkinan novel pertama di dunia. Karenanya penulis ingin memperkaya daftar literature yang digunakan sebagai objek skripsi di Program Studi Sastra Inggris. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menemukan konsep pernikahan aristokrasi Jepang di Era Heian yang tercerminkan di dalam novel. Sasaran yang pertama adalah untuk mengungkap dan mendeskripsikan beberapa tokoh penting yang merupakan elemen terpenting yang memiliki hubungan langsung dengan persoalan terkait. Sasaran yang kedua adalah untuk mendeskripsikan kehidupan social aristocrat yang ada di dalam cerita. Sasaran terakhir adalah untuk menunjukkan konsep pernikahan aristokrasi Jepang di Era Heian dengan cara menghubungkan konsep pernikahan dengan deskripsi dari beberapa tokoh dan masyarakat. Penulis menggunakan penelitian pustaka untuk studi ini. Sumber utamanya adalah novel The Tale of Genji karangan Murasaki Shikibu yang doterjemahkan oleh Arthur Waley. Sumber data yang lain diambil dari bermacam- macam sumber yang mendukung analisa dengan cara mempertimbangkan keterkaitan dan kesesuaiannya. Masyarakat yang disebutkan di dalam novel terbatas hanya pada kalangan aristokrat dan keturunan kerajaan. Konsep pertama dari pernikahan aristocrat Jepang di era Heian adalah bahwa para aristocrat mengikuti sistem poligami, tetapi sistem tersebut hanya berlaku pada para pria karena masyarakat menganut sistem patriarki. Konsep kedua adalah bahwa pernikahan tersebut membutuhkan kesetaraan golongan atau status social antara mempelai pria dan mempelai wanita yang akan menjadi istri sah. Para pria diijinkan untuk memiliki banyak selir dan selir tersebut tidak harus memiliki kesetaraan pangkat Konsep ketiga adalah tujuan dari pernikahan itu sendiri. Beberapa tujuannya adalah untuk mengesahkan hubungan antara dua kekasih, untuk menambah kekayaan dan status social, dan untuk mengikat dua keluarga yang sepakat untuk saling memberikan keuntungan satu sama lain.

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

There are so many ways of communication used by people in order to convey or express their feelings, and imagination, through a process of creativity.

Everything that people have seen, heard, felt, or sensed, as an input is processed in the brain through the process of creativity that is combined with imagination which result in an output that can be seen in many different things such as a drawing, music, visualization, a poem, short story, novel, or another artistic product. That will be enjoyed by other people. Some of those artistic products are categorized as literary work.

Literary works are also ways of communication. The authors use it to convey their thoughts, feeling and even their imagination. The literary work involves poem, short story, novel, play‟s script, and some others written artistic products. According to a book, A Handbook of Critical Approaches to literature, written by Guerin, Wilfred L., Earle Labor, Lee Morgan, Jeanne C. Reesman, and

John R. Willinghan, in order to know the literary work deeper, there are four elements, which are important in understanding literature, i.e. the work, the artist, the universe (the world), the audience and itself.

Four elements in the total situation of a work of art are discriminated and made salient, by one or another synonym, in almost all theories which aim to be comprehensive. First, there is the work, the artistic product itself. And since this is a human product, an artifact, the second common element is the artificier, the artist. Third, the work is taken to have a subject which, directly or deviously, is derived from existing things – to be about, or

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signify, or reflect something which either is, or bears some relation to, an objective state of affairs. …but let us the more neutral and comprehensive term, universe, instead. For the final element we have audience: the listeners, spectators, or readers to whom the work is addressed, or to whose attention, at any rate, it becomes available. (Guerin, Labor, Morgan, Reesman, and Willinghan, 2011: 6)

According to the quotation above, in order to know the literary work deeper, there are four elements, which are important in seeing literature, the first is the universe (the world), second is the artist, third is the audience and the last is the work itself. The quotation above also give a brief explanation about the relation between the elements which can be seen through the work as an expression of the author, the work as the object related to the audience to whom the work is addressed, or the work as an artistic product that imitate or reflect the universe or the world.

One of some theories which the main focus is in the relationship between a literary work and the universe is Mimetic Theory, mentioned in A Handbook of

Critical Approaches to literature, “The mimetic orientation – the explanation of art as essentially an imitation of aspects of the universe.” (Guerin, Labor, Morgan,

Reesman, and Willinghan, 2011: 6). Using mimetic theory‟s point of view, a work of literature may bring some issues that happen in the place where the author is living. It also can be a reflection of a certain culture that either the author acknowledges or knows well. That is why some people always say that by reading literary books, one can learn many things about the world. A critical thought from a reader, who wants to believe that the work brings issues of the world, leads them to relate between the work and the history of the issue. Then, the reader will find out whether the work is reflecting the world. PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 3

Even though a work is a fiction, it is said that the work might bring certain issue when it has the same or similar characteristic with a certain historical fact. It is strengthened through the sufficient proof of an analysis in relation with the author‟s life. It happens to Lady Murasaki Shikibu‟s The Tale of Genji translated by Arthur Waley, which is used in this research.

Murasaki Shikibu‟s The Tale of Genji also brings some issues about

Japanese culture of Heian Japanese aristocracy. The idea to do this research is triggered by Ivan Morris‟s statement in his book The World of the Shining Prince; he said that “During their time the remote city of Heian Kyō was the most flourishing cultural center in the world next to the Chinese capital” (Morris, 1964:

4). Even though it is said as the most flourishing culture center in the world, but almost every important aspect in its culture is borrowed from abroad, in that time.

In Heian period, the abroad culture that mostly borrowed is Chinese culture especially in its literature are more or less directly borrowed.

Some researchers believe that this novel brings the concept of culture of ancient Japan. Like what William J. Puette‟s said, “Yet in the Heian period portrayed in The Tale of Genji, these Chinese systems and beliefs, having been digested, were in the process of essential modification to accommodate native

Japanese sensibilities.” (Puette, 1983: 26). It was done in a consideration related to the Japanese history and a little from the history of the author‟s life, the one who create the novel based on her imagination and knowledge. There is also a statement from another writer that leads the writer of this research to carry on the topic. PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 4

THE HISTORY of the reception of The Tale of Genji is no less than a culture history of Japan, for the simple reason that the Genji has had a profound impact at various levels of culture in every historical period since its composition, including the twenty-first century, producing what is called “Genji culture.” Most major text enjoy a certain popularity in a particular period among a specific community of readers, but, remarkably The Tale of Genji has become many things to many different audiences through many different media over a thousand years, a position unmatched by any other Japanese text or artifact. It is also one of the few Japanese text that, in the modern period, has had a global reach, coming to be recognized as part of world literature, earning acclaim as perhaps the world first novel,... (Shirane, 2008: 1)

Haruo Shirane, in his book Envisioning The Tale of Genji: Media, Gender, &

Cultural Production, mentioned that The Tale of Genji is one of the few Japanese text that yet has had a global reach and being recognized as part of world literature. By that statement the writer‟s encouraged to bring out the topic of this research as her undergraduate thesis. The writer wants to enrich the list of the literature which is used as the undergraduate thesis.

To strengthen the idea that the novel brings the concept of culture of ancient Japan, a statement by George Sansom is also quoted. He says, “It is safe to say that Chinese thought contributed in Japan more to the organization of society than to the spiritual development of the individual” (Sansom, 1979: 98). Due to the similarities between what are portrayed in the novel and the history, then it is true that this novel brings some concept of culture of ancient Japan. One of many cultural aspects which are brought up in the novel is its concept of marriage.

Generally marriage is known as an institution that legalized man and woman relationship, but deep in the society, it grows to be something more than that. Some aspects in the society, such as its politic, economy, morality, religiosity, social life, also influence it. Those aspects have big possibility in PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 5

influencing the concept of marriage. The term which is applied in marriage is both on ceremonial event and legal contract which might be changed in its purpose, meaning or its rule. The changing depends on the society because marriage and all of its terms is one of many cultures that produced and agreed by society.

The concept of marriage itself has existed since the ancient time in some societies. Each region has its own rules and ways about marriage. For example, ancient Hebrew law dictated that if a married man dies, his brother is to become the widow‟s husband, though the main purpose is positively to take care about the woman. While in ancient Egypt, women could have the equal rights in marriage, even though this was not always practiced. ancient Japan also has its own concept of marriage which occurred in its Heian era. It is mentioned in George Sansom book, A History of Japan,

As a rule the Fujiwara achieved their ends not by violence but by the relentless use of political pressure, which they were able to apply because of their matrimonial relations with the throne or by means of their great wealth and consequent influence in the provinces, where their estates multiplied rapidly. (Sansom, 1979: 139)

Marriage can be beneficial for some organizations, group of people, institutions, or clan in order to deal with the legal point of law such as inheritance rights.

Sometime the concept of marriage implies a purpose such as political business where women likely treated as a commodity or possession. This is the moment when „marriage politics‟ happen in order to get a good sponsor to support the political power. The concept of marriage is different from generation to generation. It depends on the kind of society where the concept grows. PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 6

Japan, especially its ancient aristocrat‟s families also has its own way of concept of marriage. It becomes unique because of cultural aspects which was borrowed from abroad, makes Heian period different from other Japanese periods.

Invariably their faces are white and plum, their eyes long, almost closed, slits, from which we can gather no expression, their nose a tiny conventional hook and their mouth a delicate little circle; of their figures we see nothing at all, since they are swathed in voluminous robes. This is how painters of the twelfth century imagined the women of Murasaki‟s time; their pictures represent the ideal of Heian feminine beauty which itself was greatly influenced by that of T‟ang China.” (Morris, 1964: 201- 202)

It has unique point of view about beauty and its perspective in approaching woman that get strong influence from Chinese culture. In that era, Chinese culture affects the aristocrat society with its way of life and literature. One of many great literary works in the world was produced in Heian era. The title of the literary work is Genji Monogatari written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu which is also known as The Tale of Genji.

The reason why the writer does this research is because the way people to get a better life in Heian era is through a marriage. “It is no surprise, then, to see the tremendous concern in the novel with marital alliances, for practically the only way of climbing the Heian social ladder was by securing a good match for one‟s offspring.” (Puette, 1983: 28) meaning to say, people of that era are fully aware of

„marriage politics‟ which can bring them into a better future. In order to get a good sponsor for their family, they should prepare their daughter to be a good woman so that she might be chosen by a high rank nobleman or even an imperial one to be wife. Here in this research, the ancient literature, The Tale of Genji written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu, uses to reveal the concept of marriage which PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 7

occur in that time as it is reflected in the novel. This literature is the right one to reveal the concept of marriage of the ancient Heian Japanese aristocrat. Through the characters love stories and their marriages which are highlighted in the novel, the concept of marriage of Heian Japanese aristocrat can be revealed in detail.

B. Problem Formulation

Based on the idea that is described in the background, to do the research, here are the problems formulations:

1. How are the characters and their marriages described in the story?

2. How is the aristocratic social life in Heian era reflected through the setting

of the novel?

3. How is the concept of Heian Japanese aristocratic marriage presented

through the characters‟ marriages and the setting in the novel?

C. Objectives of the Study

From the statement above, the purpose of this research is to find the

answer of the topic that asking about Murasaki Shikibu‟s The Tale of Genji

that it is bringing the world issue about the concept of marriage of Heian

Japanese aristocracy. To answer the topic, it will go through some elements

that will give some details to reach to the answer.

Based on the problems formulated, there are three objectives in this

research. The first objective is to work on the topic by revealing and

describing some important characters‟ life and their marriage. The writer

decides to use the characters in the novel to find out the concept of marriage

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important intrinsic element in a literature that has a direct relation with the

issues or problems happening in the story. It is because the characters are the

ones who experience and dealing with all of the issues and moments in the

story. That is why the writer describes and reveals the characters as one of the

objective in this research. It is done to help the writer to give proof and

elaborate explanation about the concept of marriage which exists in the novel.

The second objective is to describe the aristocratic society‟s life that

exists in the story. This objective also becomes an important element that has

strong influence in revealing the topic. As mentioned in the title, the decided

topic about marriage of Japanese aristocracy is set in a certain Japanese

period called Heian period. Since the characters are living in society and

environment (the setting) of the story, it can give some details to explain the

topic. In this case, society is the one that build and bring the culture for its

entire population. That is why the society becomes the second objective to

work on.

Finally, the last objective is to show the concept of marriage of Heian

Japanese aristocracy. By relating the concept of marriage with the description

of the characters and the society, the writer wants to reveal the concept of

marriage of Heian Japanese aristocracy that exist in the novel, and how is the

issue of the concept of marriage of Heian Japanese aristocracy brought in the

novel.

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D. Definition of Terms

Heian

Heian era according to Damien Keown in A Dictionary of Buddhism is a period of Japanese history that takes its name from its time when the capital was located in the city of Heian-kyo (Kyoto) from 794 until 1185. Ivan Moris, in his book The World of the Shining Prince said that “In 794 the year of the second move, an imperial edict announced that the new capital would be called Heian

Kyō, the city of peace and tranquility” (Morris, 1964: 2). This Japanese period is known for its culture especially for its literature. Ivan Morris stated, “During their time the remote city of Heian Kyō was the most flourishing cultural centre in the world next to the Chinese capital” (Morris, 1964: 4). In this period, to have high intelligence is when a person is able to make at least a mere imitation of Chinese literature such as its poetry and prose. Morris also said that “No man could count himself cultured unless he had what corresponded to a „classical education‟ that is to say, was familiar with Chinese literature and able to produce passable imitations of Chinese poetry and prose” (Morris, 1964: 10). Heian era is an era where the people especially its aristocrat were in great affection of Chinese culture. It happens because of the Emperor admiration of Chinese culture especially its literature, so that he manages all people in the court to be affected to it.

In this era of Japan, its history related to the marriage issue is mostly described through the history of Fujiwara Family/ clan , who have a strong influence on the Court through marriages. PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 10

It is not easy to account fully for the success of this family. It is true that they held a position of great advantage in that their daughters regularly married into the imperial family, and as a rule a Regent was uncle or father-in-law or grandfather to the occupant of the throne, or father of the sovereign's second consort or favourite. Yet they (or many of them) appear not to have been moved solely by vain personal ambition, but to have truly wished to guide the monarchy in the interest of the state. (Sansom, 1979: 142)

It is described by Sansom, in his historical study of Japan that the Fujiwara family has the strongest influence on the Court. Their successful penetration into the court is due to their cleverness in making links with the imperial family by marriages. The Fujiwara family try to reach the highest position, so that they can get more advantages and maintain their political influence in the court.

Eventhough they try to manage an absolute influence, it is described that the clan do not want to take over the throne or conquer it. Their only intention is to help and give a fullest guidance to the monarchy to have a powerful control of the land, and to reach their goal, they have to get the nearest position to the throne. The fastest way to get the link to the highest position is through marriage. PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A. Review of Related Studies

As far as the writer‟s knowledge, there is one research that already done by Monica Imanuela Bendatu which is using The Tale of Genji as its subject

(found in the list of Undergraduate thesis title of English letters). The topic is about The Representation of Women’s Life in Heian Era Through the

Characterization of Murasaki no Ue in Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji.

Here the writer also uses the same novel written by Murasaki Shikibu and find a different topic that can be researched. Some references will be needed to do the research, and here are some references that the writer is used to conduct the research.

1. Masterpiece of World Literature

The kind of relationship between woman and man depends on every aspect that exists around them. The relationship between man and woman can be different according to its setting, the place and the time where they live in. It might happen because each country and each era has its own culture and concept of morality, ethics, and social behavior which differ from one another. Another element in the society that takes an important role which gives limitation to man and woman relationship is social status. According to Frank N. Magill:

The first section treats Genji, “The Shining One,” as a child and as a young man, idealistic but often unwise, learning the art of courtship and love. It also introduces Murasaki (Who is certainly not the author, unless by ironic contrast), first as Genji‟s child-concubine then as his second

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wife. Her character, thus, is tentatively sketched. In the other part of the book, she learns about the romantic and political intrigues of court life, becomes sophisticated in practicing in her own wiles, and finally – in the section titled “Blue Trousers” – dies of lingering, wasting disease. The early Tale of Genji, however, treats the hero and heroine as youthful, hopeful, and inexperienced, before they fully understand how to play the cynical games of love and dissembling. (Magill, 1817: 836)

According the review, the Japanese aristocrats described in The Tale of

Genji shows some indication of patriarchal system, political issue and also marital life. The concept of patriarchal shown by the society in the novel that the man is the one who should decide for his family. The political life also appeared in the story and it is shown in the „marriage politic‟ that they use to conduct their political power. The story focuses on its court life with the aristocrat‟s politic affair. Besides that, it is also mostly telling the reader about the imperial love affair and the way the imperial descendant lives their life and grows in the court life.

2. The World of the Shining Prince

Another study that also uses Lady Murasaki Shikibu‟s The Tale of Genji as its object is The World of the Shining Prince by Ivan Morris. Morris give the reader a glimpse of court life in ancient Japan uses Lady Murasaki‟s masterpiece.

In his book, he stated:

During most of the early period the imperial family had been merely primus inter pares, one of the many powerful septs that held sway in different parts of the island. The movement about centralization, which culminated in the Great Reform of the seventh century, aimed at putting an end to clan rivalry and creating a centralized bureaucratic state on the Chinese model. (Morris, 1964: 41)

Morris thought that if it is set that way; then the emperor might have the supreme power for over all the land and its people, of course including the former

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clan leader that could be the emperor‟s rival in strength. In his book, Morris gives the reader a labour explanation about the history of ancient Japan. He found that the literature that was produced in that time is reflecting the history of ancient

Japan, through Genji Monogatari or translated as The Tale of Genji by Lady

Murasaki Shikibu. Besides of Heian politic in the court, Morris also gives a shot for some descriptions on the court marriage that is also highlighted in the story.

The prevalence of marriage politics specifically strengthened the position of the principal wife, but indirectly it increased the prestige of women in general. The „good people‟ made themselves still better by arranging advantageous marriages for their daughters, if possible to an emperor or imperial prince. Even a girl of humble provincial parentage might enter into a relationship with a man of the highest rank. (Morris, 1964:207)

In his book, The World of the Shining Prince, Morris describes that marriage is not merely an institute that only joining man and woman to be one and make a family but it could be something else that helps another aspect to develop.

In its case, marriage helps the political aspect of the society. Through marriage, aristocrats in that time could gain some backup power for their position in court.

Even the lower rank people of the court also could gain a strong sponsor through the marriage of their daughter with an imperial family or even an emperor. In this part, the ancient Japan that Morris talk about is in its Heian period where the novel The Tale of Genji takes it also as its setting.

3. Guide to the Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu

There is also a study on Lady Murasaki Shikibu‟s novel The Tale of Genji which is written by William J. Puette. The title of the book is Guide to the Tale of

Genji by Murasaki Shikibu. It splits into three parts. The first part, presents about some importance feature in the novel. For example are the explanation of Heian

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Japan Era as the setting, a brief biography of Murasaki shikibu as the author of the novel, and also a brief guidance for reader of both version of the translation of the novel by Arthur Waley and Edward Seidensticker. The second part, presents detailed chapter of The Tale of Genji with commentaries of each chapter from chapter 1 to 9, and gives summaries of chapter 10 to 54. The third part, Puette present some notes on the structure of the novel. In this part he also gives some critical questions for the reader who wants to do a further study on the novel.

In his book, he gives a brief guide of The Tale of Genji to the reader. This book presents some illustrations about the historical issue. He gives some explanation about Heian Era which is used as the setting in Murasaki Shikibu‟s novel,

Consequently, the world of The Tale of Genji is not really the world of Heian Japan at large; it is more accurately the refined world of the inner circle of the highest class in the land. (Puette, 1983: 25)

In an instant reading, a reader may mistake the social structure in the novel as a whole representation of Heian Era in Japan. While in close reading, the reader may find that it is not a whole representation of Heian Japan but only focus on its aristocrat which Puette‟s mentioned as „the inner circle of the highest class in the land‟, in the quotation above.

Those are some of related studies that the writer‟s used to conduct this research. For the related studies picked by the writer, as can be seen, most of them discussing about some important feature of the novel such as the setting, the plot, and the characters of the novel. All of the related studies do provide a great deal of information that fits the intrinsic of the elements of the novel for the research.

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B. Review of Related Theories

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

Abram said that “a character is the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue-and by what they do-the action” (Abram, 1993: 23). This is the most suitable theori that can help the writer to extract some characters in the novel, in order to reveal the concept of marriage.

The writer also use characterization theori from Barnet. The theori is about the way to understand and find out the characteristics of the characters. It help the writer to expose and bring out the proof of the concept of mariage of Heian

Japanese Aristocracy from the novel.

a. what the character says How the character says will help the readers interpret his or her characteristic. b. what the character does The readers or audience can learn the attitudes or behaviors of a character and they may guess how actually the author creates the characters. c. what the other characters says about the character A character interacts with other characters. They share their opinion and gives comments about the character. Such opinion and comments may reflect the characteristic of the character drawn. (Barnet, 1988:712)

Barnet‟s theory gives the point in what part of a novel we can seek the description about the character and its characterization. In a novel, reader will find the characters description through some point that often used by the author. In order to give the reader some detail about the story or the character in the novel, some authors prefer to use both societies around the character and the character itself to give a description about it. On the other hands, some authors choose to use the

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societies around the character to give an explanation about the characters in the story. Just like Barnet‟s theory on Character and characterization mentioned above, those are parts of the novel that can help the reader understand the characteristics of the characters.

2. Theory of Setting

To analyze the concept of marriage in The Tale of Genji there is a theory needed to help the writer in giving a limitation for the explanation so that the explanation will always focus on the topic decided. The main topic is the concept of marriage of Heian Japanese aristocracy. From the topic it is obvious to see that this topic needs to deal with a setting of a certain time and place. To deal with a set of time and place, theory of setting can be the most proper theory to be used.

Because of that, the writer have to know about the detail of the setting of the story, such as time and place where the story is set, the environment of the society, the atmosphere, and others. According to Harmon and Holman:

Setting is the Background against which action take a place. The elements making up a setting are: (1) the geographical location, its topography, scenery, and such physical arrangements as the location of the windows and doors in a room; (2) the occupations and daily manner of living of the characters; (3) the time or period in which the action takes place, for example, epoch in history or season of the year; and (4) the general environment of the characters, for example, religious, mental, moral, social, and emotional conditions. (Holman and Harmon, 1986:465)

Except the geographical location, its topography, and scenery, the rest of those elements in the theory of setting are found in the novel and also influenced the existing concept of marriage. Beside, It gives the writer a wide scope of setting so that through the elements the writer can reveal the setting of the story.

Harmon and Holman‟s theory of setting is clearer because of the example that they give to each point. In this theory, some aspects that might exist in the story

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were mentioned as the example for each of four element of setting which make it clearer.

According to Barnet, setting is not just looking at the location of the story but is mainly about the atmosphere and the background of time that exists in the story. Like what Barnet said:

The setting or environment is not mere geography, not mere locale: It provides an atmosphere, an air that the characters breathe, a world which they move. Narrowly speaking, the setting is the physical surroundings – the furniture, the architecture, the landscape, the climate – and these often are highly appropriate to the characters who are associated with them. Broadly speaking, setting includes not only the physical surroundings but also a point (or several points) in time. (Barnet, 2005: 230)

Barnet gives detail scope to seek for the setting of the story through the details of the things surround where the characters live. In Barnet‟s theory, some entity around the characters can be the setting of the story. From the furniture, the building‟s architecture, the landscape and also the climate that described in the story, the reader can get some clues about when, where, and in what time the story is set.

While according to Abrams, the overall setting of a narrative or dramatic work is “the general locale, historical time, and social circumstances in which its action occurs; the setting of a single episode or scene within such a work is the particular physical location in which it takes place” (Abram, 1981: 284). Those are some theories that can help the writer reveal the answer of the problems formulated.

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C. Review of Heian Era of Japan Histories

There is certain circumstance that gives specification to this research. It is mentioned in one of the related studies above. The circumstance that gives specific topic for the writer is the setting of the novel which refers to certain period of time of Japan Nation. For that reason, a reference about its history is needed to be presented in this research.

To help the explanations on the era of Japan that bounding the novel, the writer uses a book titled as A History of Japan to 1334 which is written by George

Sansom. In the book, he gives explanation about his historical study about the growth of Japanese civilization chiefly in its political and social terms. He provides the reader much information about the history of Japanese civilization, from its early years to year 1334. The chapter in this book is organized, based on the period of each era occurs in Japan.

Much information like the topographical of the Capital, the political interest, the people who rule the land and the society of each era with its interest of beauty and belief are well organized in each chapter. Not all of chapter consist in the book are used to conduct the writer‟s research. The writer used only some topic related to the research which explains about the history of Japan in Heian era described in its sixth chapter. One of the major even brought out is about a clan called The Fujiwara who built their clan bigger and wider by penetrating the court with those people of Fujiwara clan. “The Fujiwara family continued to pursue its policy of gaining political power by providing Fujiwara ladies as imperial consort or concubines…” (Sansom, 1979: 102). They are gaining political power support

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through political marriage which automatically conducting their clan to control the flow of the court‟s politics.

D. Review on Marriage During Heian Era

During Heian era, there are some aspects that make this era looks like a period that has unique culture. Part of the culture that is also influential in this period, to be a unique one is its marriage. According to Ivan Morris, “courting and marriage costumes differed according to the particular degree of relationship

(principal wife, concubine, etc.) it is nevertheless possible to formulate a general pattern that had been adopted by the upper classes in Murasaki‟s time” (Morris,

1964: 214). The man in the court especially the descendant of the imperial family can have more than one wife. When the court‟s aristocrat fall in love with a woman from a low rank and her rank is not worthy enough to be an official wife, then she will be placed as a concubine. Out of those statuses, man‟s relationship with woman is counted as an affair that later in the analysis some of the relationship will be seen as a part of a ceremonial even that shall be done far before the marriage ceremonial even.

Related to flourishing literature in this era, a concept of marriage that exists in this time gives some contribution in the literature development where women‟s writing is dominant in some moment during Heian era. Like what

Morris stated:

According to some writers, the exclusion of women from all public affairs, combine with the prevailing system of polygamy, gave them an immense amount of free time that they could devote to literary pursuits, whereas men were too busy with their official duties and with satisfying the demand of their numerous Wives and mistresses. (Morris, 1964: 200)

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The one that actually shall do the diary writing is the man. However due to the situation that mentioned in the quotation above, women can fill their leisure time to make a writing which in Japanese it is called as nikki, means diary.

E. Theoretical Framework

The writer will use the theory of character and characterization to analyze the characteristic of some important characters in the story. The theory of character and characterization will help the writer to answer the first problem formulation. In order to see the concept of marriage exists in Heian era, the description about the characters and its characteristics is needed. By using the theory of character, the writer will understand the prevailing concept of marriage through the characteristic and the characters‟ marriages in the novel. Both of them will be faced to the conditions and terms that occur in the story. As a result of facing those aspects, it brings out the concept of marriage which exists in the novel.

Meanwhile, the theory of setting will help the writer to analyze what kind of Heian era is and gives detail explanation which can reveal what, when, and where the story is set. This theory can help the writer to answer the second problem formulation about the marriage as the setting of the story. To strengthen the proof that the concept in the story match with the concept of marriage that exist in history.

In doing this research, first the writer will identify the characteristic of the characters and their marriages in the story. Second, the writer will find out how the marriage as the setting of the story was described in the story. The last, using

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the help from the first and second descriptions, the writer will find out the concept of marriage presented through the characters‟ marriages and the setting of Heian

Japanese aristocracy from the story. Then the conclusion will follow afterward.

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CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of Study

Genji Monogatari, written by Murasaki Shikibu is one of some the world’s oldest novels. The Tale of Genji as it is called in the translation version. It was written shortly after the year 1000 in Japan, when the era was called Heian.

Genji Monogatari is, many agree, the world’s oldest novel, written a thousand years ago, but almost totally unknown to western reader until the appearance of the fine translations of Arthur Waley and Edward G. Seidensticker in this century. (Puette, 1983: 23)

The novel that is used by the writer in doing this research is The Tale of

Genji translated by Arthur Waley with a new foreword by Dennis Washburn which was printed in Singapore under the Tuttle Publishing, a registered trademark of Tuttle Publishing – a division of periplus Editions (HK) Ltd. It was printed by in the year of 2010. According to Dennis Washburn in his foreword of

The Tale of Genji, the Arthur Waley translation of Lady Murasaki’s masterpiece, the translation of the novel by Arthur Waley has the beauty for expressing the main text, Genji Monogatari.

The translation of The Tale of Genji by Arthur Waley (1889-1966) in six part between 1921 and 1933 was a seminal achievmen. Widely praised at the time of its publications for its stylistic beauty and its masterly rendering of characters and setting, the work showed that literary translation, especially from Asian Language, was not merely a narrow scholarly or instrumental persuit, but a task that could be considered an art form in itself. (Shikibu, 2010: ix)

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For the reader of nowadays will find it rather difficult to understand the story because of the language style that the translator, Arthur Waley uses the nearest expression to express the original novel which is written in full Japanese language.

In the story, Genji, the hero of the Tale, is the son of the emperor and his favorite concubine, Kiritsubo. A Korean fortune teller predicts a brilliant future for Genji but his mother suffers the jealousy of rivals at court, becomes ill and dies, then the distraught emperor eventually finds another concubine, Fujitsubo, who reminds him of his former love, kiritsubo. Since Genji lack of backing at court, the emperor makes him a commoner, assigning him as the membership of the non-royal Genji clan and let the eldest son of the emperor and Lady Kokiden becomes the heir apparent. Genji becomes an uncommonly handsome, talented, and gifted young man, admired by all people but feared by Lady Kokiden and her family because of his potential figure to be a perfect heir apparent.

The first part of the Tale follows his amorous exploits with a variety of ladies in and around Heian-kyo, his friendship with To no Chujo and arranged marriage to To no Chujo's sister Aoi, the birth of his son and his growing relationship with the young Murasaki. Meanwhile, the old emperor dies and is succeeded by Lady Kokiden's son. Genji's amorous intrigues cause a scandal at court and he is forced to leave the capital and live in Suma for several years.

During this second part of the Tale, Genji meets the ex-Governor of

Harima and his daughter The Akashi Lady. Genji returns to the capital and the emperor gives up the position as a king in favor of Fujitsubo's (and secretly

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Genji's) son. Genji's position at court is restored and the Lady Akashi has a baby girl. Genji then goes on a pilgrimage to the Sumiyoshi Shrine to give thanks to the deity for protecting him during the storm at Suma. After his return to the capital he settles down with Murasaki and several other ladies at his Rokujo Mansion.

During this next section of the Tale, Genji's influence at court increases steadily and he is totally focused with the progress of his children and grandchildren at court. Genji is persuaded to marry the Third Princess, who gives birth to a son and soon after becomes a Buddhist nun. In the last 10 chapters, the action shifts to the wild mountain area of Uji and the adventures of Genji's "son" and grandson, Kaoru and Niou who are friends and rivals in love to get ukifune.

B. Approach of the Study

It is important to select the appropriate approach when certain pattern of thought that will help to give the limitations for the study is needed to analyze the literary work. The approaches that the researcher uses in analyzing the novel are sociocultural – historical approach. This sociocultural – historical approach will be used to reveal the setting of place, time, and also the society in Heian era in order to know the concept of marriage of Heian Japanese aristocracy that revealed through the story. Mary Rohrberger and Samuel H. Woods stated in Reading and

Writing about Literature:

Critics whose major interest is the socio cultural-historical approach insist that the only way to locate the real work is in reference to the civilization that produced it. They define civilization as the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people and point out that literature take these attitudes and actions as its subject matter…

…The traditional historical approach to literature usually takes as its basis some aspect of the socio cultural frame of reference, combining it with an

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interest in the biographical as well as knowledge of and interest in literary history… (Rohrberger and Woods, 1971: 8-10)

According to Rohrberger and Woods, the way to connect the work with the sociocultural – historical approach is in its reference to the civilization that produces the work. The civilization or in common way is the society with its culture and its way of life define as the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people. That is why it is necessary to investigate the social surroundings in which a work was created and which in some way it reflects ideas, issues, culture, habits, and way of life of the society.

C. Method of the Study

The writer used library research in this study. The writer managed to find suitable sources containing necessary data and information by considering the factors of validity, accuracy, relevancy, and also appropriateness that could finally decide which sources that could be used.

The primary source was the novel The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki

Shikibu translated by Arthur Waley. The secondary data were taken from various sources that conducted the analysis. Therefore, some review, critics, and some works that are used in the novel as its object of study would be used also as the data that would be compared or conducted with the writer analysis. Besides, consulted with some people and the expert that worked on same novel or same topic also became the method of the study.

To answer the problem formulation there were some steps that the writer needed to find the result. Firstly, the writer had to find the characterization of some important characters according to his or her description and action in the

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novel. The theory of character by Abram in his book A Glossary of Literary

Terms and characterization by Barnet in his book Literature for Composition:

Essays, Fiction, Poetry and Drama would help the writer to figure it out. Second, the writer had to find the description of the society that existed in the novel. To make the writer found the society easier, the writer used the theory of setting. The theory of setting in Barnet’s book Literature for Composition: Essays, Fiction,

Poetry and Drama could help the writer to figure out the setting in the literary work and finally with the setting, the society could be revealed. Besides Barnet’s book, the writer also used Abram’s book A Glossary of Literary Terms and

Harmon’s book A Handbook to Literature. From the theory of setting in those books, perhaps the writer could describe the society clearly and could provide elaborate explanation. Finally, the last steps was connecting the concept of marriage with the description of some characters and the society to find the answer of the thesis which talked about the concept of marriages of Heian

Japanese aristocracy in the novel The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu; translated by Arthur Waley.

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CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

A. The Description about the Characters and their Marriages

In this first part of fourth chapter, some of the characters will be extracted from the story. Each of their characteristic deal with the condition and term apply in the story, the reader can get the idea about what issue brought up in the story is.

They can get it from seeing how the characters‘ dealing with the term occurs in the story or how they correspond the happening with their own personality. That is why the description, which shows characters personality and their characteristic, in the novel will strengthen the issue of the prevailing concept of marriage life through the way they correspond with a certain situation or term in the story.

Novel The Tale of Genji written by Murasaki Shikibu is telling the reader about some generations of an imperial family. There are the generation of a former family presented by The Emperor, the generation of a son presented by

Genji (son of the Emperor), and the generation of grandchild presented by Genji‘s offspring‘s. Therefore, the reader might find this novel with so many characters exist in it. Eventhough there are many characters, but only some characters are built to have important role in the story, moreover when it comes to discuss about marriage‘s life. In this research, two characters, the Emperor (Father of Genji) and

Genji, are seen to be the best candidates for bringing the research‘s topic. The writer chooses them because both characters deliver most of the problems in marriage life.

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The Emperor is the first character that appears in the story and as an introduction of the story. His life is exposed to describe the circumstance of court and marriage life which is bounding to the next generation continuously. Next is

Genji. He is chosen to be another character that is presented as the comparison of

The Emperor‘s, in term of their characteristics, since Genji‘s success on keeping his marriage life in peace. Both describe journey of marriage life in different path, one as an Emperor and the other as a commoner of aristocrat. Eventhough they have different social status, at the end, the problem that they have to deal with is same. They have to face the society hierarchy and its circumstances.

The important characters are not only from its main characters, but it also involves some minor characters. Here, the wives of the emperor and Genji will also take a role in order to reveal the marriage life of the story. Similar with the emperor and Genji, the character of the wives and the way they deal with their own marriage might give some clue and description of marriage life in the novel.

In this part, both characters are put together to be used to help the writer to reveal the description about a reflection of aristocratic marriage life in the novel. Here are the description about the characters‘ characteristics and its relation to their marriage life:

1. The Description of the Emperor’s Character in Correlation to his

Marriage

The story of The Tale of Genji begins with description of The Emperor‘s life along with some wives who have important role in his life. By their appearance in the story, The first one mentioned is his beloved Lady Kiritsubo PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 29

who is only a concubine due to her low rank. Eventhough she makes the first appearance, but she is not the first wife. The second one mentioned is Lady

Kokiden who noticed as the first wife of the Emperor (official/principal wife) because of her highest rank among the other ladies. And then the last one mentioned is Lady Fujitsubo who is courted last and chosen as the empress by the

Emperor. Besides those three ladies, the Emperor still has many more concubines, but those three are the ladies that take important role in Emperor‘s life and in the story.

The Emperor, the man who ruled the whole land, He has the highest power to control everything in his territory. It is his duty to take control on all aspects which are influencing his land and its society. For example, some aspects that are highlighted in the story such as economic stability, social hierarchy that prevails in its society and political flow in the Court are the major aspects that described as some matter that need full attention and spend lot of emperor‘s time. That is why as an emperor, he cannot do all controlling by himself. He must have some people who help him in controlling the land and its society, such as minister of the left who is also the emperor‘s sponsor and minister of the right, his father-in-law who works as the political opponent of minister of the left. Therefore some decision related to the land necessity, cannot be done technically without the ministers endorsement.

A man of an imperial line blood who is chosen to be an emperor and get his hands controlling the whole land, such an enormous power for an imperial descendant can achieve. With that great title he has and the society‘s trust that an PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 30

emperor shall bring prosperity to the country, many court people want to get close to him. Some noblemen just want to serve him and prove their loyalty while some other try to gain their wealth and political influence. Facing that kind of situation, ideally, an emperor shall know every court circumstance and situation. He has to work on that matter with strategy so that he can avoid on violating the court circumstance. On the other hand, in the story, the emperor‘s described as a one who is ignorant, rather unrealistic, and driven easily by emotional feeling. Those personal qualities can be seen in emperor‘s life, in the way he react and decide a way out of his matter. Those qualities are implied in his marriage life where the emperor cannot lead his own marriage into a secure and happy marriage life. Later in contrast with Genji‘s qualities, the personal qualities of the emperor can be seen more clearly as the reason of his failure to keep his marriage life‘s peace.

In the court, The Emperor lives with his wife and all of his concubines. As an emperor, he has some privileges. He has an opportunity to be with the lady he likes the most. He is free to choose the lady to become his wife and his empress.

Eventhough it is called a privilege, but still it is bounded by some court circumstances. For example is court circumstance that gives limitation on the criteria of the lady who can be chosen as a wife and empress. It happens due to the prevailing system of rank in the aristocrat society.

At the court of an Emperor (he lived no matters not when) there was among the gentlewomen of the Wardrobe and Chamber one, who though she was not of very high rank was favored far beyond all the rest; so that the great ladies of the palace, each of whom had secretly hoped that she herself would be chosen, looked with scorn and hatred upon the upstart who had dispelled their dreams.

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unfortunately she was not of the same rank as the courtiers who waited upon him in the Upper Palace, so that despite his love for her, and though she wore all the airs of a great lady, it was not without considerable qualms that he now made it his practice to have her by him not only when there was to be some entertainment, but even when any business of importance was afoot.

The emperor could no longer endure to witness her vexations and moved her to the Koroden. In order to make room for her he was obliged to shift the Chief Lady of the Wardrobe to lodgings outside. So far from improving matters he had merely procured her a new and most embittered enemy! (Shikibu, 2010: 4-6)

Lady Kiritsubo, the favored lady who described in the quotation above, is one of The Emperor wives who obtains predicate only as a concubine because of her low rank and lack of sponsor. The quotation describes the emperor act of giving overflowing love to just one lady he really loved. He gives all his love and full attention toward Lady Kiritsubo. In a glimpse, it sounds like he is being unfair.

But if it is analyzed carefully, it cannot be seen as an unfair act because he has his own privilege to stay with the lady he likes. The fact that that man is an emperor cannot be excluded. To be noted, not all his marriages are his will, some of his marriages are just an arranged marriages as symbol of a unity between an emperor and his sponsor or politic partner. Besides, he has absolute power to rule and gives order, so that it can be understood if he acts that way to Lady Kiritsubo. In the same time, from the description in the quotation about the Emperor‘s action when he continuously practicing with Lady Kiritsubo to prepare her to be a lady-in- waiting eventhough he knows all of the competitiveness growing within his ladies quarter about to be the chosen one, it gives the impression of the Emperor‘s ignorant toward surrounding. The peak of his ignorant is shown from his decision to make room for unfortunate Lady Kiritsubo by shifting the Chief Lady of the PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 32

Wardrobe to lodgings outside. Instead of secure the lady, it‘s more like his action gain her more enemy who will join to treat her badly. Here then Lady Kokiden also take her role.

…she had, after all, priority over her rival; the Emperor had loved her devotedly and she had borne him princes. It was even now chiefly the fear of her reproaches that made him uneasy about his new way of life. (Shikibu, 2010: 5)

The quotation above refers to Lady Kokiden, the principal wife of the

Emperor due to highest rank she has as a daughter of the Minister of the Right, whom the political power is in the second place, right under the Emperor. This is a clue which is conducting the idea that the Emperor is being unrealistic. The

Emperor who already knew the condition of her beloved lady who has low rank and with all reproaches from his principal wife, Lady Kokiden, he still pours her with his strong affection and his full attention. He is unrealistic enough to exclude all the rejection from Kokiden from his mind which make all Kiritsubo‘s miseries worser day by day. Then he is even trying to make lady Kiritsuboto get the chance to be admitted as a wife rather than a concubine by preparing her to be a lady-in- waiting. Theoretically, it is possible for an emperor to raise one‘s rank, but it has to go through court‘s endorsement. In Lady Kiritsubo‘s case, the emperor‘s founded become unrealistic person she has the lowest rank than the rest concubines, which will take a long time and long process to raise her rank, while for the time being she is been bullied by the other ladies and fading in a fast pace.

When these comings and goings became frequent beyond measure, it would happen that on the bridges and in corridors, here or there along the way that she must go, strange tricks were played to frighten her or unpleasant things were left lying about which spoiled the dresses. (Shikibu, 2010: 5) PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 33

A daily life which is full of corrupt competitiveness grows intensely within the ladies, while the Emperor‘s driven by his emotion easily. Lady Kokiden who is filled with jealousy of the emperor‘s love for Kiritsubo, Sheledmost of the malice deeds toward the unfortunate lady. Many bad things are done upon Lady

Kiritsubo. The Emperor cannot do something to help his beloved Lady. For now, what he can do is just waiting for the announcement from the court for he had increase the rank of Lady Kiritsubo not for long ago, butit is too late. The lovely lady Kiritsubo‘s already sinking in her own great distress. Then, not for a long time, her condition becomes worse and at last, she meets her death.

If only he is not blinded by his affection and take consideration of surrounding and circumstance that his wives have to go through, his marriage will not get a tragic end. It‘s his own personal quality for being ignorant, unrealistic, and easy to be driven by emotional feeling that turns his marriage into a sad, full of miseries and violent marriage life, which is ended with the beloved lady‘s death.

2. The Description of Genji's Character and Marriages' in Relation to their

Marriage Life

Genji, the son of the Emperor with Lady Kiritsubo, his characteristics description can be found in the story. It can be seen from what Genji says, his attitudes or behaviors and also from what the other characters say or response toward Genji. For example, in Aoi Chapter, at the moment after Lady Aoi‘s death,

Aoi‘s servants gather and talk to genji for the last time about their sadness of

Aoi‘s death and the uncertainty of their future to Genji, PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 34

―I do not forget my friends so easily as that. If there are any among you who, mindful of the past, wish still to serve in this house, they may count upon it that so long as I live I shall never desert them.‖ and as he sat gazing into the lamplight, with tears aglitter in his eyes, they felt they were fortunate indeed in having such a protector. (Shikibu, 2010: 175)

Actually, it‘s not his responsibility to take care of all servants of Aoi‘s quarter. As after his wife‘s death he must leave from his father-in-law‘s house, where he supposed to live with Aoi, and has to go back to his own house. Genji‘s words in the quotation show that he can be dependable person and otherscharacters‘ response show that he is a kindhearted person who is still protecting those servants even though it‘s his duty no more.

Besides dependable and kindhearted, Genji is also described as a sympathetic, thoughtful or considerate, and realistic person. Those qualities of him can be seen in his acts and some of his decision he made in his life. He is a thoughtful person for he is so considerate in every decision he made. Like in the time when he has to manage his own off spring‘s future and help some unfortunate children who have no protector, he is trying so hard to find and make a way for them to have a secure life in court. Not only searching for the best possibility for their future but he also put full consideration on those children‘s feeling and even take the pain to explain and discus the future plan with them and willing to comfort them. Besides, most of those personal qualities are best described in the way he is dealing with his wives and ladies of his household.

Compared to the Emperor‘s (Genji‘s father) description in the previous part, these characteristics of Genji are seen as the better personalities that bring success, especially in marriage life, but still both of them have to deal with the PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 35

existing social circumstance. As the story begins in the first chapter of the novel, there is a brief description about situation that Genji must face. He could be the one who get the position on the throne but the emperor cannot choose him because of his mother‘s low rank. Then, Genji is set to become a commoner and put in an established clan known as Minamoto clan because of his lack of family back up. It is done in order to help Genji so that he can stay in the court. In this situation, Genji shall begin his marriage life in his early ages (twelve years old) in an arranged marriage made by the emperor. His plan is to get Genji his own sponsor so that Genji can make his way in the court and help his father. His first wife is Lady Aoi (at her sixteenth), daughter of the Minister of the Left. Genji and

Aoi start marriage life in young ages, yet no one tell them what to do or teach them manner as husband and wife. It can be seen in Genji‘s words when he is in ill state yet Aoi does not give any attention or even worry toward him, ―Why are you so cold and distant and proud? Year after year we fail to reach an understanding and you cut yourself off from me more completely than before. Can we not manage for a little while to be on ordinary terms?‖ (Shikibu, 2010: 92).

Many misunderstanding happen between them due to their young age and inexperience. Aoi‘spride and her persistence of her scornfulness toward Genji make it difficult for him to approach her. Here, he shows that one of his characteristics is patient, for he manages in dealing with his wife‘s persistence for such a long time and still shows his devotion toward Lady Aoi. He even express himself of his devotion and commitment of his marriage, it can be seen in the description in the novel about Genji‘s feeling, ―after all, she was his wife; PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 36

moreover, despite all the difficulties that had risen between them he cared for her very much indeed.‖ (Shikibu, 2010: 161). All his patient and understanding is not for nothing, it lead him to a good future where he finally manages to make peace with Lady Aoi, and even she is success in delivering a baby boy for him, eventhough she is in worse state due to a spirit possession she‘s experienced during the pregnancy. And not long after she gives birth, she faces her death, until that moment, Genji always stays by her side although he has to go to the Great

Hall for a time because of a duty he has to work on.

A further description of Genji‘s characteristics is found in his behavior toward surrounding especially to all gentlewomen.

He was also deeply touched by the conduct of the gentlewomen at Nijo-in, in whom he had formerly shown so little interest. He determined henceforward to take more pains about them. He soon found himself so much occupied in paying small attentions to Miss Chujo, Madam Nakatsukasa, and other good ladies of his household, that he scarcely ever had time to leave the house. He was also much taken up with the rebuilding of a lodge which stood to the east of his palace, on an estate which had belonged to his father. He took great trouble over the work and had the place put in splendid order, for it was his intention to lend it to unfortunate or unprotected persons, such as the lady at ―the village of falling flowers,‖ whom he could best assist if he had them near at hand. (Shikibu, 2010: 286)

Here, He shows himself as sympathetic and thoughtful person. After he realizes that he does not give enough attention to the ladies of his household, he feels guilty and tries to fix it right away, different with the emperor who does not give his attention to some of his ladies. Genji‘s aware of his ladies feeling and feel sympathy for them he even tries his best to give attention because he supposes to have tight schedule. Those behavior he has, help him to manage the peace of his PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 37

marriage life so that the ladies feel just and well treated. Besides, he shows himself kindhearted and full of sympathy since he organizes a lodge to the unfortunate ladies who he valued, such as the lady at ―the village of falling flowers.‖ She is Emperor‘s escort who is no more get visitation from the Emperor and Genji found her as a nice person to talk with and she makes him feel comfortable to share story or discussing matter. This kind of act doesn‘t trigger any jealousy between his ladies because he really takes a good care to them and even to the servant ladies too.

After Lady Aoi, Genji‘s second wife who he cherished the most is Lady

Murasaki. Eventhough she is mentioned as Genji‘s wife, but originally, she cannot be called as his official wife since her low rank, she cannot deserve the title as official wife like Lady Aoi. After Lady Aoi‘s death, Murasaki acts as the Chief

Lady of the household. The other ladies give their respect toward her.

He meets Murasaki when she is still a mere infant at the temple where he has to go through a healing ritual for his health. He found himself captivated by her beauty and also because her face is looked alike with Lady Fujitsubo, his step mother who is also his first love. He raises her in all best way. He thinks that to build her become a good future wife, he has to educate her by himself. Murasaki indeedgrows into a great lady. She becomes the one who knows Genji more than the other ladies and always attracts Genji day by day without failing. That becomes one of the reasons why Genji loves and admire this lady so much.

Genji‘s shown to be more open and more considerate with Murassaki.He shows himself being comfortable with her to speak his thought and discus some things PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 38

about many aspects. Most of the time he asks Murasaki‘s opinion about some future plans of the household. He always gives deep consideration on her at happy or sad event. For example there is an important event that shows his consideration toward Murasaki.

He had not himself told Murasaki about the birth of his child at Akashi, nor was it likely that anyone else would in so many words have done so. But he feared that some inkling of the matter might reach her, and he finally made up his mind that it would be better for her to know all about it. (Shikibu, 2010: 289)

This is a moment where Genji has to inform Murasaki about his girl child that he got from Lady Akashi while Genji is in his exile and separated from

Murasaki. Of course it‘s difficult for him to reveal such an affair to his beloved

Lady. Here he is shown to be considerate with Murasaki‘s feeling in case she knows the news from other person. He knows Murasaki so well, as she is a kind lady who likes children. Then he tells her by himself and manages to persuade her to bring the girl to the household to be raised by Murasaki instead of let her live in a small province without any support and sponsor.He is being open with Murasaki and tells her the entire problem and the reason why he has to bring the child into the house and he even admit his fault for having such an affair while in exile. And those are some of behavior and personalities of Genji that lead his marriage into a peaceful marriage life especially with Murasaki where he always open and considerate.

Both Genji and Murasaki wish to live happily and manage a peaceful household.They do live happily for some moments until a day where he has to

Marry Princess Nyosan, daughter of his half-brother, the Emperor Suzaku. Suzaku PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 39

wants to start his retirement and ask Genji to marry his daughter for he find no one else is capable or have sufficient experience to be a protector of such a girl of a high title. Genji and Murasaki cannot make their dream comes true for now

Genji gains high social status for marrying a princess, and it indeed makes him hard to keep Murasaki as a wife. But practically, since the princess is still a child,

Murasaki has to take over the role as the chief lady who manages the house. Genji knows that Murasaki looks fine, but inside her is a broken heart even though she can be sure for Genji‘s unchanging feeling toward her. The similarity between

Genji‘s and Emperor‘s marriage life is that in the end they have to deal with the prevailing social system of rank equality.

B. The Reflection of the Aristocratic Social Life in Heian era through the

Setting of the Novel

In this second part of fourth chapter, the analysis focuses on the setting of the novel. Since the story claims in using a certain set of time in history, the history that is explained in this part of analysis is not the whole history of its time but more like some aspects of the history reflected in the story. As seen in the title of the research, the object of this study takes certain time and place as the setting, like the explanation of theory setting in chapter two of this research. To find out about the setting of a story, it is mentioned that setting is the background against which the act take a place. In the theory of setting, the elements defined as setting are the geographical location, the occupations and daily manner of living of the characters, the time or period in which the action takes place, for example, certain part of history, and the general environment of the characters, for example, PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 40

religious, mental, moral, social, and emotional conditions. ―Consequently, the world of The Tale of Genji is not really the world of Heian Japan at large; it is more accurately the refined world of the inner circle of the highest class in the land‖ (Puette, 1983: 25). In an instant reading, a reader may mistake the society in the novel as a whole representation of Heian Era in Japan. Actually it is not a whole representation of Heian Japan but it is limited only on its aristocrat‘s life which mentioned as ‗the inner circle of the highest class in the land‘. From that reference of the object of the study, the writer is sure that the novel uses a history of a certain era of Japan called Heian as its setting. Mostly the description about the setting in the novel are explained through the occupations and daily manner of living of the characters, and the general environment of the characters, like religious, mental, moral, social, and emotional conditions. Even though this part gives some historical explanation, but the focus is still in the setting of the novel.

Since The Tale of Genji is a novel that describes in detail on every daily manner of its characters and describes thoroughly about the characters‘ internal feelings and the characters‘ development, another element of setting that really important is the daily manner of the characters and general environments and the society.

Here is the portrayal of some highlighted aspects of Heian aristocratic social life reflected in The Tale of Genji.

At the court of an Emperor (he lived no matters not when) there was among the gentlewomen of the Wardrobe and Chamber one, who though she was not of very high rank was favored far beyond all the rest; so that the great ladies of the palace, each of whom had secretly hoped that she herself would be chosen, looked with scorn and hatred upon the upstart who had dispelled their dreams. (Shikibu, 2010: 4)

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As the reader can see, in the beginning of the novel it is already described that in the time of the story, the society is ruled by an Emperor, in a palace. It is also impliedly said that to have many wives is common for the imperial and aristocrat of the court. This system of aristocratic society mostly leads the ladies‘ life into a competition within the household. They can do nothing but just waiting for the man‘s visitation to their lodge or chamber. This situation often grows jealousy toward the chosen woman. Moreover, if the women who get the man‘s love bestowed upon her has lower rank than the other lady. This is conducted by

Morris statement in his book about The Tale of Genji. He said that, ―Courting and marriage customs differed according to the particular degree of relationship

(principal wife, concubine, etc.); it is nevertheless possible to formulate a general pattern that had been adopted by the upper classes in Murasaki‘s time‖ (Morris,

1964: 214). That many wives‘ status is ordered by the ladies‘ degree. It depends on the rank the lady has. Among the ladies, there must be one lady who will take the title as the official/principal wife who will lead the rest of the ladies in the house while the other lady will get the status as concubine. Besides, to become an official wife is not easy because the people must obey the rule for a marriage in its relation to the rank system in the aristocratic society which is required an equality of rank between the husband and wife (official wife). It is expressed in the story.

unfortunately she was not of the same rank as the courtiers who waited upon him in the Upper Palace, so that despite his love for her, and though she wore all the airs of a great lady, it was not without considerable qualms that he now made it his practice to have her by him not only when there was to be some entertainment, but even when any business of importance was afoot. (Shikibu, 2010: 5)

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This is an example of case of a rank system. The quotation is about the Emperor who loves Lady Kiritsubo (one of concubines) who has a low rank. The rank existed in the society is an absolute system that has to be obeyed by all the aristocratic peoples even an Emperor. It is explained in part A about the

Emperor‘s marriage with Kiritsubo, which is ended up with her death. ―The dead lady had been imperiled by the Emperor‘s favor only because the Court was not willing to accept her‖ (Shikibu, 2010: 14). She is a beloved concubine, Lady

Kiritsubo (Genji‘s Mother) who cannot be kept as an official wife due to her low rank compared to the other. An unpredictable turn of life because of rank system also happens to Lady Kokiden, his first wife and as his official wife. ―His eldest born prince was the son of Lady Kokiden. The daughter of the Minister of the

Right, and this child was treated by all with the respect due to the undoubted heir apparent‖ (Shikibu, 2010: 5). That time, she has the highest rank among the other lady, and moreover, she gets her eldest son, Suzaku appointed as heir apparent and she might be sure to be an empress. But later on, The Emperor has one more wife, ―She was however of much higher rank, so that everyone was anxious to please her‖ (Shikibu, 2010: 14). The latest wife (Fujitsubo) has far a higher rank compared to Kokiden and becomes the empress while Kokiden just reach the high status as a mother of an emperor which is not as high as empress.

Another case for rank system also can be seen in Genji‘s marriage life. It is mentioned in the note from the translator of the novel that, ―Since Aoi‘s death

Genji had no wife, Murasaki being technically only a chief concubine, her mother low rank making it impossible for her to be a kita no kata or Legitimate consort‖ PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 43

(Shikibu, 2010: 626). The rank system also becomes the hardest term that Genji has to deal with in his life. Genji, who is set as a commoner in the court by his father the Emperor, had Aoi (was dead in her young age after give him a child) a daughter of a Minister as his first wife. That makes Genji get the rank as high as

Aoi. So that Genji cannot take Murasaki as his official wife since she has lower rank than him, and only becomes the chief lady of the household.

Murasaki had naturally not been slow to realize—that what Genji had not hitherto definitely disclosed—that Nyosan had come as a bride.The discovery came as a cruel blow, yet even so there was no reason to suppose that the newcomer was likely in any sense to take Murasaki‘s place. (Shikibu, 2010: 631-632)

Unpredictable event happens in his life that also gives him and Murasaki the misery at the same time for he has to marry Nyosan, a daughter of current emperor, Suzaku. For him to marry a princess is such a fortunate even for his household but it also makes the distance between Genji‘s social status and

Murasaki farther than before. On the other hand, practically Nyosan is young and act more in childish way, so that Murasaki still has to take control all the arrangement and preparation in the household.

The Heian aristocrats have their own flow in life. Most of the main ideas are expressed in The Broom-Tree chapter, ―We have our ups and downs – and the woman even more than the man‖ (Shikibu, 2010: 37). Like Genji‘s case above, the aristocrat do not know when they meet their up and down. This aspect is described and expressed in The Broom-Tree chapter, where Genji is in a discussion with his bestfriend To no Chujo and also two courtiers.

Uma no Kami spoke first, ―However high a lady may rise, if she does not come of an adequate stock, the world will think very differently of her PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 44

from what it would of one born to such honors; but if trough adverse fortune a lady of highest rank find herself in friendless misery, the noble breeding of her mind is soon forgotten and she becomes an object of contempt.

For sometimes people of high rank sink to the most abject position; while others of common birth rise to be high officers, wear self-important faces, redecorate the inside of their house and think themselves as good as anyone (Shikibu, 2010: 20).

It is described in the story that as an aristocrat, it does not mean that one will always be in the upper position in work, prosperity, relationship, or social status, once he or she gets a grip on high rank by sponsor or marriage. The quotation above gives the reader the idea that for the aristocrats the up and down work on both men and women, but the ones who are experiencing sudden life change and also get the impact from the change are the aristocratic women. In the court, they have to do what they can do to survive. For the men, what they can do is to gain prosperity by working and get a position as high as they can get. For the woman of this era, they have to get their own sponsor or protector in order to survive and make her way in the court. The only way to get the sponsor for a woman is through a marriage. She has to marry a high ranked man. ―Many of them grow up into women who it would be folly to despise; some have been admitted to court, where they have enjoyed a quite unexpected success‖ (Shikibu, 2010: 21). Most of the descriptions related to aristocratic life are telling the reader about the way they have to manage their life in court. From the quotation that just mentioned, it shows the reader about how the social is working to deal with the society's system.

Most of the aristocrat family compete one another to send their daughter to the PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 45

court so that their daughter get the chance to get married with nobleman who has higher social status or even they are sent to marry the imperial men. Another example, there are some descriptions of aristocratic marriage which has some different purposes. Like Genji‘s marriage with Aoi which is held as an arranged marriage to get him a minister as a protector.

His sponsor, the Minister of the Left, had an only daughter whose beauty he Heir apparent had noticed. But now the father began to think he would not encourage that match, but would offer her to Genji. He sounded the Emperor upon this, and found that he would be very glad to obtain for the boy the advantage of so powerful a connection. (Shikibu, 2010: 16)

Here in the quotation impliedly show the reader that in its time, marriage is not only a legalization tool of a union between a man and woman who love each other.

Marriage can be done as a sign of a connection between two families in order to tie their relationship as they give mutual benefit for the family. The quotation above is about the emperor and the minister of the left who hold an arranged marriage for Genji and Aoi. From The Emperor side, the main point of the marriage is to get a protector for Genji who has no strong support in order to stay in the court since he comes from a low rank mother. Meanwhile from the Minister of the Left side, the marriage will give his family much more benefit for he will get a son of an emperor as his son-in-law. The Minister‘s family will have advantages since they have such a strong connection with the imperial family.

In Heian era, marriage is the fastest way to gain more prosperity. It is the only way, especially for the women, to take a leap in raising rank, and as steps ladder for the courtiers to get inside the upper classes. ―But it is true that a girl as she grows up needs the backing of powerful friends if she is to make her way in PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 46

the world‖ (Shikibu, 2010: 87). That is why in the novel, there are some descriptions about the women of its time that get their luck in getting inside the upper classes by marrying the nobleman of the palace or the member of the imperial. This issue is not only found from the direct description in the story but can be seen in Murasaki‘s live. Mentioned in The Sacred Tree Chapter,

The announcement of his marriage with Murasaki was very well received by the world at large. … Her father Prince Hyobukyo asked for nothing better for such a match, but his wife, who had not managed to do half as well for her own children on whom she doted, was extremely jealous of her step-child‘s triumph, and this marriage continued to be very sore point with her. Indeed Murasaki‘s career had been more like that of some step- child in fiction than of a real young person. (Shikibu, 2010: 198)

Murasaki is a daughter of a prince with a mere mistress and now she becomes

Genji‘s wife. Since Genji is a son of an Emperor, it makes her now included in the environment of the upper classes and automatically has a connection with the imperial family. It is true that she cannot raise her career in court any further than being a chief lady of Genji. On the other hand, the fact that she is a wife of one of the Emperor‘s son is the most fortunate thing that can be happen upon Murasaki who has low rank. That luck of Murasaki is the reason why her step-mother feels jealous. She acknowledges Murasaki as a mere step daughter who has lower rank than her daughters and yet she gets a direct connection with the imperial and raises her social status.

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C. The Reflection of the Concept of Heian Japanese Aristocratic

Marriage Presented Through the Characters’ Marriages and the Setting in the Novel

This is the last part of the analysis. In this part, the writer will explain about the reflection of the concept of Heian Japanese Aristocratic marriage through the characters‘ marriages and the setting of the novel. In the previous part of this fourth chapter, the writer already explains about the life of the Heian aristocrats and describes how the social hierarchy works in its society. The

Emperor‘s and Genji‖s life along with their wives and their marriage life are explained as the best example of the aristocratic life which is highlighted and exposed in the novel. From the description and explanation about the setting of the novel with some samples of characters‘ marriages in the second part of this analysis, there are some main ideas about the concept of Heian Japanese

Aristocratic marriage that can be pointed out. Here, the writer will pointed out those aspects which are revealed trough the setting of the novel and its characters‘ marriage.

At the court of an Emperor (he lived no matters not when) there was among the gentlewomen of the Wardrobe and Chamber one, who though she was not of very high rank was favored far beyond all the rest; so that the great ladies of the palace, each of whom had secretly hoped that she herself would be chosen, looked with scorn and hatred upon the upstart who had dispelled their dreams. (Shikibu, 2010: 4)

The first idea about the concept of marriage of Heian Japanese Aristocracy is that the aristocrats follow the polygamy system which works only for he men.

Only the men forbid to have more than one wife because of the existence of patriarchal system in the society. It is like what had been explained in the first and PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 48

second part of this analysis chapter about the Emperor with his wife and consorts also Genji with his wife and some other concubines. The quotation above is taken from the beginning of the story. As it start, the story impliedly shows that the society of the imperial/aristocrats allow the men to have more than one women as their wife. This idea, which the writer is taken from the novel, also mentioned by

Ivan Morris, in his book, The World of the Shining Prince. In its chapter that talks about some aspects in the author‘s of The Tale of Genji, Murasaki Shikibu‘s life,

Morris said, ―In the affluent upper classes, however it was possible for a man to have a principal wife and several secondary consorts of a more or less permanent nature; and this was the normal system among the ‗good people‘ of Heian‖

(Morris, 1964: 220). By that statement, the writer can also see the reflection of the history of its polygamy system in the setting of the novel, which is exposed deeper through the characters‘ marriages. Besides, in the quotation of Morris‘s statement, there also exists another social system that cannot be separated with the marriage life of the aristocrats. That social system is the social rank system. The impact of rank system in the society of the aristocrat improves the polygamy system.

The second idea about the concept of marriage of Heian Japanese

Aristocracy is that it requires an equality of rank or social status between the bride and the groom, but it is only works when it comes to legalize the woman's status as an official/principal wife. Meanwhile, for a consort or a concubine, the rank does not have to be equal. The woman can be from higher or lower rank than the man. From the explanation in the second part of this analysis, this concept can be PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 49

seen in some cases of the character‘s marriages described in the novel. For example is the marriage between The Emperor (Genji‘s father) with lady kiritsubo

(Genji‘s mother).

I seem to remember that Prince Genji himself, who is reckoned the greatest gentleman in the land, could not be put forward as a successor to the Throne because his mother was so far inferior to the other ladies of the court; and indeed, judged from that point of view, he is a mere waiting- woman‘s son. (Shikibu, 2010: 363)

The quotation above shows the issue about a concept of marriage in which it is bounded strongly by the prevailing system of rank. Kiritsubo‘s low rank becomes her limitation to be the Kita no Kata (principal wife) of the Emperor. The rule of the rank system is also impacting the offspring, for the child can‘t claim the parent's high rank, if it is only from one side of the parents. This system is also become a great barrier in Genji‘s marriage with Murasaki. “The announcement of his marriage with Murasaki was very well received by the world at large. … Her father Prince Hyobukyo asked for nothing better for such a match‖ (Shikibu, 2010:

198). Since Murasaki has low rank from her mother sides, she cannot be Genji‘s principal wife but to have such a high nobleman like Genji as a husband is a great fortune for murasaki. In the end, she gets the luck in getting inside the environment of upper classes as the beloved concubine of Genji, the high rank nobleman of the palace who has high power, which his power is as high as a retired emperor. It is mentioned in Wakana-part one chapter, "Genji, (though, his rank being equal ro that of retired Emperor, he was under no obligation to do so) went out to assist her in alighting from her coach" (Shikibu, 2010: 631). PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 50

The third point of Heian Japanese Aristocratic marriage is the purpose of the marriage. There are three possibilities of purposes of a marriage which are stand out in the novel. The first purpose of a marriage is used as a step ladder by the aristocrat to climb up the society‘s social system of rank and get the protection for a better and secure life. This purpose lead the aristocrat to raise their daughters carefully so that those daughters have good quality as a women, so that they can attract high ranked nobleman to marry them. Besides, there is another possibility to get a real high ranked aristocrat. By sending the well raised daughters to the court as a consort. That point can be seen in The Picture Competition chapter where Genji held a picture competition with To no Chujo as his rival.

To no Chujo had presented his daughter at Court with the express intention that she should one day share the Throne. The presence of this formidable rival at the Palace could not fail to cause him considerable anxiety. (Shikibu, 2010: 330)

They held the competition to attract and gain Emperor Ryozen‘s interest toward their daughter so that one of them can be chosen as emperor‘s bride. In the chapter, the aristocrat people intention of having a connection to the imperial is described clearly, like in the quotation above. Most of the aristocrat prefer to gain higher social status by marriages. If they thing their daughter is worth and equal enough to get the higher rank match, they will offer their well raised daughter to the Court.

The second purpose of a marriage is to have a protector in order to survive since they live in court where there is no guarantee for a secure life. This kind of marriage can be seen in Genji's marriage with Nyosan. "That a girl of Nyosan's rank needs, far more than anyone of ordinary birth, to be provided from the outset with a settled home. ... I beseech you, consent to taking this one daughter of mine PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 51

under your protection" (Shikibu, 2010: 625-626). That is part of Genji's conversation with Emperor Suzaku (Genji's half brother, the eldest son of Lady

Kokiden). They talk about the future of Emperor Suzaku's daughter, Princess

Nyosan. Emperor Suzaku has to retire because of his sickness, but before his retirement he wants her daughter to require a secure life in court. Suzaku knows that after his retirement, life will be different and of course the properties and household income will decrease significantly. He is afraid of how his beloved daughter's future will be then ask Genji to take her under his protection. Genji has to bring Nyosan to his household as his bride for there is nobody who is already settled and good enough to protect a princess like Nyosan except Genji himself.

Besides, his marriage with Nyosan happened because of Emperor Suzaku's demand. The third purpose of a marriage is to bind two families which are agreed to give mutual benefit to each other. These purposes turn marriage become a symbol of families union and a legal way to tie both families in a beneficial relationship. That kind of marriage is known as politic marriage. Like the description about Genji's first marriage with Lady Aoi in the first part of this chapter. In order to survive in the court, Genji (a son of Emperor with a low rank concubine) has to get his own sponsor to stay in the court. Then his father, the

Emperor set a marriage for him with Aoi, daughter of the Left Minister. Both

Emperor and Left Minister agreed about the marriage. Both side get the benefit of the marriage. The Emperor get the help and support from the Left Minister while the Left Minister get his hand a connection with the imperial and also get a beautiful and talented son-in-law like Genji. Both side indeed get the benefit from PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 52

the marriage, yet for the bride and the groom, they have to go through it whether they like it or not. ―What a shame that a fine young prince should be taken so young and settled down forever with a lady that was none of his choosing!‖

(Murasaki Shikibu, 2010: 36). It is expressed in the novel like in that quotation that this third purpose of marriage doesn‘t consider the bride‘s and the groom‘s feeling of love. PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

This is the last chapter of this research. In this chapter, a conclusion for the analysis is given to the reader. The writer gives the answer of the topic about The

Concept of Marriage of Heian Japanese Aristocracy Revealed in Murasaki

Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji. Through the three problem formulations which are explained in the analysis, the writer can reveal the answer for the topic of this research.

The first problem formulation is revealing about the idea or issue brought up in the story by seeing how the characters are dealing with the term occurs in the story or how they correspond the happening with their own personality and seeing how the characters’ personality give impact on marriage life. And eventhough this novel has so many characters exist in it, but only some characters are built to have important role in the story. There are two characters, the Emperor

(Father of Genji) and Genji, that are seen as the suites characters to answer the first formulation, because both characters deliver most of the problems in marriage life. About the Emperor, the writer finds out that If only he is not blinded by his affection and take consideration of surrounding and court circumstance that his wives have to go through, his marriage will not get a tragic end. It is his own personal quality for being ignorant, unrealistic, and easy to be driven by emotional feeling that turns his marriage into a sad, full of miseries and violent marriage life.

Meanwhile, the writer finds out that Genji is described as dependable,

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kindhearted, sympathetic, thoughtful or considerate, and a realistic person.

Compared to the Emperor’s characteristics description, these characteristics of

Genji are seen as the better characteristics that bring success, especially in marriage life. He has personalities that lead his marriage into a peaceful marriage life. The only thing that similar is that both of them are powerless when they have to deal with the existence of social circumstance about rank equality in marriage.

The second problem formulation explains about the reflection of the aristocratic social life in Heian era through the setting of the novel. The Tale of

Genji is a novel that describes in detail on every daily manner of its characters and describes thoroughly about the characters’ internal feelings and the characters’ development. It is also related to the topic which is requiring an explanation about a society in Heian era. Because of that, in the second formulation, the writer gives an explanation about the portrayal of some highlighted aspects of Heian aristocratic social life reflected in The Tale of Genji. The writer finds out that the society mentioned in the novel is limited only about the aristocrats and imperial people. In this era, to have many wives is common for the imperial and aristocrat of the court, but this system of aristocratic society mostly leads the ladies’ life into a competition within them. There is also a social hierarchy which bound the wives. That many wives’ status in the household is ordered by the ladies’ degree.

It depends on the rank the lady has to achieve the social status as principal wife, consort, or concubine. This system lead the society to build an insecure life for sometimes there are some unexpected up and down in the aristocrats’ life. PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 55

And the last is the third formulation. The writer uses the third formulation to answer the topic of this research. After answering the three problem formulations, the writer can conclude that there are some important points or ideas about the concept of Heian aristocratic marriage. The first idea about the concept of Heian Japanese Aristocratic marriage is that the aristocrats follow the polygamy system, but it only works for the men since the society use patriarchal system. So that the men are allowed to have more than one wife. The second concept of Heian Japanese Aristocratic marriage is the equality of rank or social status between the groom and the bride decided to be the official/principal wife.

The men allowed to have many concubines and it does not require rank equality.

It is fine to have concubines with higher or lower rank. The third point of Heian

Japanese Aristocratic marriage as the highlight is the purposes or the functions of marriage. There are three possibilities of purposes of a marriage which are stand out in the novel. It is safe to say that the first purpose is to legalize the relationship between man and women since love is not used as the first consideration in marriage. The second purpose of a marriage is to gain prosperity and social status.

For this purpose, marriage is used and considered as a step ladder by the aristocrat to climb up the society’s social system of rank and degree. The third one is to bind two families which are agreed to give mutual benefit to each other. These purposes turn marriage become a symbol of families union and a method to tie both families in a beneficial relationship. That kind of marriage is known as politic marriage. Those are the three concept of Heian aristocratic marriage that the writer finds out as highlighted issues in the novel. PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms, Forth Edition. New York: Holt, Richard and Winston Inc, 1981. Barnet, Sylvan. Literature for Compisition: Essays, Fiction, Poetry and Drama. New York: Longman Pearson, 1988.

Guerin, Wilfred L., Earle Labor, Lee Morgan, Jeanne C. Reesman, and John R. Willingham. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to literature. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011.

Holman, C. Hugh, and William Harmon. A Handbook of Literature, Fifth Edition. London: Prentice Hall, 1986.

Keown, Damien. A Dictionary of Buddishm. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

Magill, Frank N. Masterpiece of World Literature. New York: Harper and Row publisher, 1817. Morris, Ivan. The World of The Shining Prince Court Life in Ancient Japan. Tokyo: The Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc., 1964.

Puette, William J. Guide to The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu. Japan: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1983. Rohrberger, Mary and Samuel H. Woods. Reading and Writing about Literature. New York: Random House, 1971. Sansom, George. A History of Japan to 1334. Tokyo: The Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc., 1979.

Shikibu, Murasaki. The Tale of Genji, Translated by Arthur Waley with a new foreword by Dennis Washburn. Singapore: Tuttle Publishing, 2010.

Shirane, Haruo. Envisioning the Tale of Genji: Media, Gender, & Cultural Production. New York: Columbia University Press, 2008.

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APPENDIX

Summary of The Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji

The Tale of Genji was written shortly after the year 1000 in Japan's Heian era, when the capital was situated at Heian-kyo (present-day Kyoto). The tale concentrates on Genji's romantic life and describes the customs of the aristocratic society of the time.

Genji, the hero of the Tale, is the son of the emperor and his favorite concubine, Kiritsubo. She is not feel at ease, even with all the emperor’s protection and love, for Kokiden’s (the Emperor’s first wife) influence is very great. Kiritsubo suffers the jealousy of rivals at court, becomes ill and dies. The

Emperor in his distraught state, eventually finds another concubine, Fujitsubo, who resembles Kiritsubo. She reminds him of his former love. Genji loves her first as a stepmother, but later as a woman, and they fall in love with each other.

Genji also meets the Lady Fujitsubo secretly, and she bears his son, Reizei.

Everyone except the two lovers believes the father of the child is the Emperor

Kiritsubo. Later, the boy becomes the Crown Prince and Lady Fujitsubo becomes the Empress, but Genji and Lady Fujitsubo swear to keep their secret.

The Emperor assigns Genji as a member of the non-royal clan, called Gen clan. Meanwhile, the eldest son of the Emperor and Lady Kokiden is made crown prince. That happens because of Genji’s lack of backing at court. Genji is placed by the emperor under the protection of the clan of Gen; the emperor also gives the child the title of Prince Genji. The boy, spirited and handsome, becomes a popular

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figure at the court. Even Kokiden cannot feel a great deal of ill will toward him.

Genji wins a secure place for himself in the emperor’s eyes, and at the age of twelve he is not only elevated to a man’s estate but also given in marriage to

Princess Aoi, the daughter of the minister of the left, a powerful figure at court.

Genji is not impressed with his bride, nor is she entirely happy with her bridegroom, for she is four years older than he. In the time, he engages in a series of unfulfilling love affairs with other women, but in most cases his advances are rebuffed, his lover dies suddenly during the affair, or he becomes bored with his lover. in the end of Genji and Aoi’s relationship, they reconcile and even she gives birth to a son. Unfortunately Aoi dies soon after she delivers the baby due to possession by malice spirit. Genji is sorrowful, but he finds consolation in

Murasaki, whom he marries (in her fourteen). He has a peaceful and happy life with Murasaki.

One day Genji has to go to exile because his amorous adventure with a woman (oborozukiyo) is exposed. The Emperor Suzaku exiles Genji to the town of Suma. There, a prosperous man known as the Akashi Novice (because he is from Akashi in Settsu province) entertains Genji, and Genji has a love affair with

Akashi's daughter. She gives birth to Genji's only daughter. That event in Akashi makes Murasaki sad but fortunately, Murasaki is a tolerant person. She bear with the situation and even she manage to raise the daughter of Akashi, who will later become the Empress under Murasaki’s and Genji’s guidance.

In the capital, the Emperor Suzaku is troubled by dreams of his late father,

Kiritsubo, and something begins to affect his eyes. Meanwhile, his mother, PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI 59

Kokiden, grows ill, which weakens her powerful sway over the throne. Thus the

Emperor orders Genji pardoned, and he returns to Kyoto. His son by Lady

Fujitsubo, Reizei, becomes the emperor. The new Emperor Reizei knows Genji is his real father, and raises Genji's rank to the highest possible.

When Genji turns 40 years old, his life begins to decline. His political status does not change, but his love and emotional life are slowly damaged. He has to marry another lady, the Third Princess, Nyōsan (in her teen) because of the

Suzaku’s demand to protect her. This third marriage change Genji’s relationship with Murasaki. It makes her feel sorrowful and her sadness gradually contribute in decreasing her health. Not long after, Genji's beloved Murasaki dies. In the following chapter, Maboroshi ("Illusion"), Genji contemplates how fleeting life is.

Immediately after Maboroshi, there is a chapter entitled Kumogakure ("Vanished into the Clouds"), which is left blank, but implies the death of Genji.