A study on Genji and Rokujo lady

This essay will give a detailed description of characters in chapter four of this story. It will show each person with their different attributes contrasting and comparing them. As it is known in every society or a group of people, each is known to be different and can be identified in their past behaviors or ways. So is it in this tale of Genji, not all characters can be of the same traits.

Genji.

To begin with Genji is a young man who has the power to rule over his people. He has good looks and uses this to woo a lot of women. He can therefore be termed as an opportunist. In that he uses what he has to take advantage of a certain situation. In this case the situation is having many good looking ladies. Another well defined character of Genji is that he is a schemer. He devises many plans to have different women. For example he takes young Murasaki and educates her to later on have her as his wife. The plot to use a flower on his journey to see the ailing nurse is also one of Genji s many schemes. Genji also hides at night to go and have intimate relationships with the women. He is very promiscuous.

Genji is also a person who cares about people; he goes to see the nurse. That is a clear indication that he cares. Throughout the chapter also, Genji takes care of all his wives. He does not disband them. Although some even end up with little feelings toward him they are still under his good care. That clearly shows that Genji is a person of care and concern. This brief description shows the character traits of Genji.

Rokujo lady

In brief this was a past lover to Genji. Although she was older than him and a former wife to a ruler they have a relationship together with Genji. At first, they have a good and normal relationship. Things get worse later and this is where the true character of this lady is clearly shown. Genji as he is known to move from one woman to another falls in love with Yugao later. The spirit of Rokujo is not pleased with this at all. She kills Yugao in a rather painful death which greatly affects Genji. The character here that comes out clearly is that one of jealousy. Another character trait that can be linked to this death is that of being a sadist. It is evident that Genji is pleased by Yugao. To change the mood and the happiness, Rokujo ensures that Yugao is dead.

Yugao

Unlike Rokujo, Yugao is different. She is also a lover to Genji. She is described to be very beautiful and noble. She seems to have a greater effect towards Genji. This lady is young and neat. From the story she can be explained to be as having a calm personality. She does not do much to interfere with other people s affairs. She is a loving person because she offers all her love to Genji who even though has other extra affairs with other ladies. Her death was caused by evil Rokujo. This clearly shows she had a very pleasing personality so as to instill jealousy to others. Although she is a very good woman the circumstances that led to her affair with Genji show that she is easily attracted to him. They secretly meet at night and make love. She gives all her love without much wooing or teasing to the young man.

Utsusemi

Her role in this story is a very significant one. She is a consistent woman who does not offer her love easily. Genji who is known to have many charming characteristics does not get his way through. One day Genji approaches her in order to have her. She resists and runs away. Another character that clearly comes out of this is one of being adventurous. She is found playing a board game with another lady. This shows that she does not have a boring personality. She is also clever in the sense that after resisting Genji s advances she ran away. In some cases. The women who resist but are still around end up succumbing to Genji. She ran therefore not allowing any chance of any forceful sex or advances. Earlier Utsusemi is known to be the wife of a certain lord. By not allowing any of Genji s moves, shows that she is faithful to her husband.

Lady Fujitsubo

This is also a lover to Genji. At first she acts as Genji s step mother. She has a close resemblance to Genji s past concubine. This is in fact one of the many reasons that make Genji prefer her. According to the customary law, any person should not have an affair with their step parents. Both Genji and Fujitsubo go against this and have an affair. This clearly shows that they don t have much attention or even value the law. It also shows that they are arrogant. Their affair is prohibited. Their affair changing also represents the light weight or seriousness given to their unity. They let personal feelings overcome the rule of the land. Fujitsubo s action also shows that she is not consistent to her role as a step mother. She is undecided in that she changes from a mother to a lover.

Conclusion

The characters explained above show that mostly in every society people will fall into mainly two categories. The good and the bad. At the same time people will have split personalities. Good characters are shown by people like Yugao. She is noble and calm. Just like the current society some people will be calm and contained, even though others will try and ruin their good going like what the spirit of Rokujo lady did. In the bad side; Genji uses women for his own or rather personal satisfaction. He has many escapades in which he falls in love with them at the same time he also has extra affairs. This is a bad character which is a symbolism of self centered ness. Evil is also well defined in the characters by Rokujo killing Yugao. Genji also forces women to sleep with him. This is an evil trait.

The most evident character that is conspicuous in this chapter is that of women easily falling for the charming and rich. Most of them are in a relationship with Genji because of his wealth and influence. Apart from Utsusemi who sticks to her principles, others easily fall. All this shows that it is a kind of a battle between the good and the bad characters in a person.