MURASAKI SHIKIBU

(978-1030)

Japanese novelist, famous for the historic "Tale of Genzhi.

Strangely enough, the Russian reader almost does not know that the world-famous name. Meanwhile, the literary value of women, hiding under the mysterious pseudonym Murasaki Shikibu, it is difficult to overestimate. She had the honor of opening the genre novel, as well as the introduction into use in many literary innovations that have so far successfully used artists from different countries. And although she, like many women, writer, put it in earnest only in one work, the light of her work there now and then discards the "flashing" on the cultural life of the world community.

Murasaki has created something new and unique for its time - a heroic romance in prose, with the current situations in the real authentic heroes. All these necessary ingredients of the novel were continued and developed in the works of Western writers in the XVIII century. Story of Genzhi "- is not just a historical phenomenon. This work is considered one of the most treasured masterpieces of Japanese prose and one of the greatest works created by human imagination.

Unfortunately, the author of "Story" We know very little. Even its name because the eastern traditions covered with darkness. Senior Japanese women do not have the right to declare his name a wide range of individuals.

Photo — «Murasaki Shikibu»

Most likely, "Shikibu" meant the name of the province, where his father was the ruler of the writer. A "Murasaki" in Japanese translates as "purple. " It is assumed that the alias was taken on behalf of one of the heroes of the book our heroine.

Murasaki was raised in a family of large Japanese official, an educated person, who comes from an educated family. Future writer grew up in an atmosphere of literary interests. Her grandfather played a role in the creation of the first imperial anthology of Japanese poetry, her father was a poet and scholar, who studied the Chinese classics.

Murasaki was married in 998 to his cousin, who served in the Imperial Guard. Her only child, a girl, was born in the year 999, and in 1011 Murasaki widowed. In the middle of the first decade of the XI century Murasaki entered the service in the court of Empress Akiko, occupying, according to European notions, a place maids of honor. In that capacity she served until 1013. What happened to her after she left the court, and the details of her death are unknown.

Above the "Tale of Genzhi" Murasaki worked for several years. Writer hardly thought about the descendants, the future glory. The story was meant for the entertainment of the highest personages of the imperial blood, and was written for a theatrical presentation at court.

Photo — «Murasaki Shikibu»

In that period in Japanese literature was dominated by women, and the talent Murasaki certainly played a role in her career at the court.

From the diary of Murasaki follows that it was not burdened by court duties except duties companion. She had time to write and it looks like its lessons are encouraged as encourage palace chronicler. Diary of Murasaki describes observation and melancholy woman, who carefully avoided every secular life, as well as contact and correspondence with other famous writers of his time.

Story of Genzhi "- solid work, covering nearly 70-year period of Japanese history and describes the career of an aristocrat Genzhi, illegitimate son of the emperor. A unique product that does what instead of the expected story of the wonderful adventures, the story tells about real people in real situations. The author describes the love affairs and intrigues Genzhi in a beautiful poetic style, full of hidden meaning. This technique is then happy to use the famous novelists XX century, including Marcel Proust.

Masterpiece Murasaki Shikibu - the greatest achievement in world literature, and that after 800 years does not lose its innovative value for human culture.