Difference between revisions of "Murasaki Shikibu"

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*''Born: c. [[973]]?''
 
*''Born: c. [[973]]?''
 
*''Died: after [[1014]]''
 
*''Died: after [[1014]]''
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*''Other Names'': 藤式部 ''(Fuji shikibu)''
 
*''Japanese'': 紫式部 ''(Murasaki Shikibu)''
 
*''Japanese'': 紫式部 ''(Murasaki Shikibu)''
  
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The [[Heian period]] court lady Murasaki Shikibu is famous as the author of the ''[[Tale of Genji]]'', and for her poetry. Little is known of the details of her life.
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The [[Heian period]] court lady Murasaki Shikibu is famous as the author of the ''[[Tale of Genji]]'', and for her poetry.
  
 
It is believed she may have been born around [[973]]. Her father was [[Fujiwara no Tametoki]] and her mother, a daughter of [[Fujiwara no Tamenobu]]. Her true name is unknown, but she is believed to have been known during her life as Fuji-shikibu, as a result of her father holding the post or title of ''daijô''<!--大丞--> within the Department of Rites (''shikibu''),. It is believed that the name Murasaki Shikibu may have come about after her death, possibly in connection with the Lady Murasaki who appears as a prominent character in her ''Tale of Genji''.
 
It is believed she may have been born around [[973]]. Her father was [[Fujiwara no Tametoki]] and her mother, a daughter of [[Fujiwara no Tamenobu]]. Her true name is unknown, but she is believed to have been known during her life as Fuji-shikibu, as a result of her father holding the post or title of ''daijô''<!--大丞--> within the Department of Rites (''shikibu''),. It is believed that the name Murasaki Shikibu may have come about after her death, possibly in connection with the Lady Murasaki who appears as a prominent character in her ''Tale of Genji''.
  
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Murasaki lost her mother at a young age, and grew up with her scholar & poet father. She learned the Chinese classics faster than her brother [[Fujiwara no Nobunori]], and it's said that her father lamented that she hadn't been born a boy.
  
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<!--幼時に母を失い,学者,漢詩人であった父のもとで成長。兄弟の惟規より漢籍の覚えが早く,男子であったらと父を嘆かせた。長徳2(996)年に越前守となった父の赴任に同行したが,任期途中の同4年に単身帰京し,まもなく遠縁で,数人の妻と子供のいる40歳代の藤原宣孝と結婚,翌年にはのちに大弐三位と呼ばれる娘が生まれたが,長保3(1001)年に夫が急死,その後は寡婦の生活を送った。『源氏物語』の執筆はそのころ始まったと考えられる。おそらく文才を認められ,寛弘2(1005)年ごろ,藤原道長の娘で一条天皇の中宮であった彰子に女房として出仕,同僚たちの視線のなかで,目立つことを恐れて学才を隠しながらも,彰子に『白氏文集』を進講したりした。道長の妾だったともいうが疑わしい。 『紫式部日記』は,寛弘5年から7年までの彰子の後宮の繁栄を,沈鬱な自己の心をみつめながら記録し,同僚女房への批評などを書簡体で加えた作品だが,そこには,酔った藤原公任から「若紫」という『源氏物語』の登場人物の名で呼びかけられた話や,『源氏物語』を読んだ一条天皇に『日本紀』をよく読んでいると賞賛され,同輩から「日本紀の御局」というあだ名を付けられた話などが記されており,出仕後も書き続けられた『源氏物語』が,そのころすでに男性にまでさかんに読まれていた様子がうかがわれる。 中国文学や伝承を巧妙に利用し,歴史的事実をも踏まえ,それ以前のさまざまな作品の達成を承けて和歌と散文の融合によるすぐれた内面描写の世界を切り開いた『源氏物語』は,それまでの物語の水準を大きく越えた日本文学を代表する作品となり,その影響は日本文化の全領域におよんでいる。その作者紫式部は,人の心を迷わす罪で地獄に堕ちたといわれながら,一方で観音の化身であったともされ,また儒教的視点から才色兼備の賢女と評されるなど,『源氏物語』とともにその像も後世さまざまに変遷した。20世紀に入るとウェイリーの英訳などによって『源氏物語』は海外でも高い評価を受け,世界文学の古典とされるに至ったが,紫式部も世界的に著名な作家のひとりとなり,1966年には日本人として初めてユネスコの「偉人年祭表」に加えられた。『源氏物語』には795首の作中歌がみられるが,このほか,家集『紫式部集』には,幼なじみの女友達との再会と別離を詠んだ「めぐりあひて見しやそれともわかぬ間に雲隠れにし夜半の月かげ」など,娘時代の作者の面影を伝える和歌もみられて興味深い。『拾遺集』以下の勅撰集に51首が入集。 -->
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Murasaki accompanied her father when he was appointed ''[[Echizen province|Echizen]] no kami'' in [[996]], but returned alone to [[Heian-kyo|the capital]] two years later, and very shortly afterwards she married [[Fujiwara no Nobutaka]], a distant relative in his 40s who already had a number of other wives and children. Murasaki gave birth to a daughter of her own, known to us today as [[Daini no Sanmi]], the following year. Nobutaka died suddenly in [[1001]], and Murasaki took to the life of a widow. It is believed that she began writing the Tale of Genji around this time.
  
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{{stub}}
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Around [[1005]], possibly in part because of a recognition of her literary wit, Murasaki was made an attendant to [[Empress Shoshi|Empress Shôshi]] (aka Fujiwara no Akiko; daughter of [[Fujiwara no Michinaga]] and Imperial consort to [[Emperor Ichijo|Emperor Ichijô]]). Fearful of attracting too much attention, Murasaki made some efforts to hide her academic knowledge or literary ability, but still gave lectures on various subjects to the empress.
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From [[1008]] to [[1010]], Murasaki composed ''[[Murasaki Shikibu nikki]]'' ("Diary of Murasaki Shikibu"); in it, she records her depression despite it being a period of great liveliness and flourishing for Shôshi's inner palace, and includes various comments or criticisms about her fellow ladies-in-waiting. It is believed that The Tale of Genji may have already been circulating and popular among the noblemen of the court.
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Through both the Tale of Genji, and her poems included in collections such as the ''[[Hyakunin isshu]]'', Murasaki remained a figure of great fame down through the centuries.
  
 
==References==
 
==References==

Revision as of 10:45, 21 October 2012

A mannequin dressed as Murasaki, at Nintendo's Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Museum in Arashiyama, Kyoto.
The grave of Murasaki Shikibu, at Horikawa-Kitaôji in Kyoto.
  • Born: c. 973?
  • Died: after 1014
  • Other Names: 藤式部 (Fuji shikibu)
  • Japanese: 紫式部 (Murasaki Shikibu)

The Heian period court lady Murasaki Shikibu is famous as the author of the Tale of Genji, and for her poetry.

It is believed she may have been born around 973. Her father was Fujiwara no Tametoki and her mother, a daughter of Fujiwara no Tamenobu. Her true name is unknown, but she is believed to have been known during her life as Fuji-shikibu, as a result of her father holding the post or title of daijô within the Department of Rites (shikibu),. It is believed that the name Murasaki Shikibu may have come about after her death, possibly in connection with the Lady Murasaki who appears as a prominent character in her Tale of Genji.

Murasaki lost her mother at a young age, and grew up with her scholar & poet father. She learned the Chinese classics faster than her brother Fujiwara no Nobunori, and it's said that her father lamented that she hadn't been born a boy.

Murasaki accompanied her father when he was appointed Echizen no kami in 996, but returned alone to the capital two years later, and very shortly afterwards she married Fujiwara no Nobutaka, a distant relative in his 40s who already had a number of other wives and children. Murasaki gave birth to a daughter of her own, known to us today as Daini no Sanmi, the following year. Nobutaka died suddenly in 1001, and Murasaki took to the life of a widow. It is believed that she began writing the Tale of Genji around this time.

Around 1005, possibly in part because of a recognition of her literary wit, Murasaki was made an attendant to Empress Shôshi (aka Fujiwara no Akiko; daughter of Fujiwara no Michinaga and Imperial consort to Emperor Ichijô). Fearful of attracting too much attention, Murasaki made some efforts to hide her academic knowledge or literary ability, but still gave lectures on various subjects to the empress.

From 1008 to 1010, Murasaki composed Murasaki Shikibu nikki ("Diary of Murasaki Shikibu"); in it, she records her depression despite it being a period of great liveliness and flourishing for Shôshi's inner palace, and includes various comments or criticisms about her fellow ladies-in-waiting. It is believed that The Tale of Genji may have already been circulating and popular among the noblemen of the court.

Through both the Tale of Genji, and her poems included in collections such as the Hyakunin isshu, Murasaki remained a figure of great fame down through the centuries.

References

  • "Murasaki Shikibu." Asahi Nihon rekishi jinbutsu jiten 朝日日本歴史人物事典. Asahi Shimbun-sha.
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