The tale of Genji

About the book

Arthur Waley's opening volume of The Tale of Genji introduces a courtly world where rank, poetry, seasonal observance, and carefully managed appearances shape intimate life. Genji moves through relationships in which desire is inseparable from unequal power and the demands of reputation. Much happens indirectly: a poem, a rumour, a visit, or a change of residence can carry consequences that an explicit declaration would miss. The narrative also gives attention to the women affected by these arrangements, making emotional vulnerability part of its account of privilege. This volume is not the whole of the long Japanese work. Waley's introductory material frames his English rendering, and readers can follow both the story's delicate social signals and the limitations of Genji's own understanding.

• Court and rank
• Desire and reputation
• Memory and loss

Why read it

For a richly observant account of relationships conducted through poetry, ceremony, and implication.

Arthur Waley's English translation · opening volume, 1925