"WATER" AND CONCEPTS RELATED TO IT IN "THE TALES OF GENJI".

Abstract

The Tales of Genji is an internationally acclaimed and widely referenced research topic in world literature, the first historical novel written by a woman. Today, The Tales of Genji occupies a place equal to all of Shakespeare's works in the English canon, and is a constant source of inspiration for Japanese popular culture, animation, and print cartoonists. This work, which tells about the royal family and its audience consisting of queens, concubines and women who served them a thousand years ago, has not lost its value despite the time and place. This work is a clear window into Japanese history, culture, and religion, and the work serves as powerful research material for cross-cultural comparisons on topics as diverse as marriage, the role of women, communication methods, and aesthetics.