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The Comparison of the Figures between Genji and Kaorukun

Author: LiuWeiSan
Tutor: YangJian
School: Central China Normal University
Course: Comparative Literature and World Literature
Keywords: Murasakisikibu Genji Monogatari Genji Kaorukun comparative study
CLC: I106.4
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2007
Downloads: 243
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Abstract

Genji Monogatari, the classic in Japanese literature, attracts the attention of numerous critics since its publication, resulting tremendous numbers of research works on it. Critics attempt to analyze and paraphrase this great work from the perspectives of theme, characters, structures, etc., and recent studies even incline to analyze it with phylosophy, sociology as well as anthology.As regard to the study on specific characters, the researches of most critics focus on the protagonists of this work, Genji and Kaorukun, most of which concentrate on their characteristics, relationships with females, and comparisons between Genji and Jia Baoyu in The Dream in Red Chamber. However, most of the studies on the comparisons of Genji and Kaorukun are only found within the paragraphes of several research papers, which lack detailed and wide-ranged analysis.Therefore, to provide a wider sight into the work for the reader, the paper attempts to study the characters from comparative study on decent, official career, love and attitude towards religion of these two characters by close reading, together with the tool of history critism and psychoanalysis , to make a trial analysis and paraphrases on writer’s intention of writing.This paper includes four parts:Part One: Unhappy childhood and fornication complex. Both having an unhappy childhood because of lacking of motherhood, two protagonists get different compensations: the former one receives love from family of his grandma, while the latter patronage in official career from Reizenin. Anyhow, influenced by the unhappiness in childhood, both of them wander in the shadow of incestuous, till the end of their life.Part Two: Characteristics and quality. The characteristic of the former is complicated and rich: he is strong in mind, mercy and pitiful, as well as weak, distressed and irritant. The latter is gloomy, cold and sophisticated. As regard to quality, the former is surpassingly excellent, in contrast to the mediocrity of the latter. Part Three: love and official career. The novel shows us detailed stories on their love experiences, which differ a lot: Genji’s love is favorable while Kaorukun’s is frustrated. Similarly, in their official career, the former reaches the crest of authority through twists and turns mainly relying his excellent quality for politics, while the latter, without specific ability as Genji, also enjoys a smooth career with the shelter of Reizenin. Part Four: attitude towards Buddhism. Both of them show their pious will towards Buddhism with contradictory tracts. After scores of years’ enjoyment and several hesitations on his entry into religion, Genji final abandons everything and realizes his long-cherished wish. Although with a pious attitude towards Buddhism since his youth, Kaorukun abandons his wishes in the process of his pursue for Buddhism.From these new perspectives for the study of Genji and Kaorukun, as the comparisonsuggests, more than stress on the filiation between Genji and Kaorukun, the writer’sintention to create these two similar as well as different images of protagonists is toblazon forth the comeuppance in Buddhism.

The Comparison of the Figures between Genji and Kaorukun

Abstract

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