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Zathea Kate L. Dela Pena

Lit 197.1

Mr. Danilo M. Reyes

September 7, 2019

A Filipino Reception on Genji’s Relationships

The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu contains layers of differences in Japanese

culture from what I have grown to accept here in the Philippines. The characters, the

government system, marriage, and the perception of nature in the novel are the means to

understand the early Japanese culture. Furthermore, the length of the novel enabled me, as a

reader to be immersed in the world where Genji constantly discovers himself through his

relationships with women. The fact that The Tale of Genji is considered to be the earliest

forms of novel renders an understanding of the earliest society formed in Japan which in

comparison to other cultures are widely different and this inference brought me to a

realization that reading literature, especially fiction entails not just an immersion to an altered

reality but it is also a window to an existing culture where the narrative is based on.

I would only like to focus on the obvious multiple relationships that Genji had in the

novel which greatly baffled me because this is phenomenon is not what I am used to

witnessing as a Filipino. I have been taught that monogamy is the widely accepted norm in

the society as it is instilled in the reigning Catholicism in the country—marriage to one

person at a mature and certain age. Although a contention to this traditional perception is that,

the act of adultery is a phenomenon occurring in our country. Philippine television shows

embody different narratives of mistresses and third parties which differs from the Tale of

Genji. The ladies of Genji vary from different social classes and their approach to gain

Genji’s affection is deemed passive because they express their jealousy through tears, letters,

and sometimes rituals like Rokujo lady who killed the Lady of the Evening faces through
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possession when she found out that Genji spent time with her. As much as Genji is known for

his attractive features, the women also acknowledge that Genji is not monogamous and that

they will always compete for Genji’s affection. This is in great contrast in the Philippine

context, because as television shows portray the women involved in the issue, they usually

disdain the act of cheating and immediately confronts the ‘other’ woman which usually ends

up in a catfight. The Filipino approach to adultery is not only seen in Philippine television

shows, but also in news reports. Couples are featured in the news for physical and verbal

abuse, as well as the third party being beaten up by the legal wife.

Going back to the analogy that literature is a window to a culture, my reaction

towards Genji’s relationships with women made me realize that there are cultural differences

that must be acknowledged by the reader. The inability to do so builds a barrier that hinders

the reader to fully grasp where the narrative is coming from. Only after reading The Tale of

Genji did I realize that during the earlier times, the reality faced by the characters in the novel

is acceptable, although frowned upon in the culture. The novel enabled my sense of open-

mindedness in reading a text, especially when it is inviting me to delve into a world different

from where I am accustomed to.

Word Count: 559