Anohito
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- 24 Dec 2006
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I have read the Seidensticker translation twice and am thinking about starting it for a third time soon. I enjoyed it very much. If the local library system has the new translation, I might try that.
Genji Monogatari will not tell you much about common people of that time, but the members of the Heian court were also human, after all, so it does deal with the human condition, as does any good literature. It has love, hate, laughter, tears, life, death--all the good stuff. Also, Murasaki Shikibu is clearly quite observant.
I have read some other important national/ethnic works of literature. While in college I had to read The Iliad, and I hated it: Too much repetitious description (e.g., "wine-dark sea") and most of the characters are idiots, as far as I'm concerned. On the other hand, I liked The Oddysey quite a lot. Different strokes for different folks.
Genji Monogatari will not tell you much about common people of that time, but the members of the Heian court were also human, after all, so it does deal with the human condition, as does any good literature. It has love, hate, laughter, tears, life, death--all the good stuff. Also, Murasaki Shikibu is clearly quite observant.
I have read some other important national/ethnic works of literature. While in college I had to read The Iliad, and I hated it: Too much repetitious description (e.g., "wine-dark sea") and most of the characters are idiots, as far as I'm concerned. On the other hand, I liked The Oddysey quite a lot. Different strokes for different folks.