The Tale Of Genji

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. How would you define the novel as a form of literature? How and when did the novel develop its characteristic attributes?

Teaching Suggestion: Some literary scholars consider the novel to be an exclusively European form that arose in the 17th century, while others point to novel-like writings in other cultures and in earlier time periods as the “beginnings” of the novel form. The Tale of Genji is one of the texts that the latter accepts as an early novel. Students are likely to have their own ideas about novels; they may enjoy debating this term before accessing the suggested resources below and attempting a more refined answer.

• This 5-minute video by Dr. Andrew Moore introduces the novel as a form.
• This article from TCK Publishing offers a succinct but comprehensive history of the development of the novel.

2. The Heian period in Japanese history took place from 794 AD to 1185 AD. Based on what you know of Japanese and world history, what might be true about court life during this era?