Ritual, Moral Personhood, and Spirit Possession in The Tale of Genji
Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji June 27, 2019 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780190654979.003.0004 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
The essay argues that Genji, often seen as promiscuous, undergoes a moral journey. Drawing on Herbert Fingarette's Confucian analysis, it shows Genji's early ritual expertise masks concern for reputation and shame, not guilt. Over time, Buddhist influences shift his focus to introspection and the impact of his actions on others, with agencies like predestination and spirit possession structuring the novel's moral world.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Genji's moral development moves from a shame-based concern with reputation to an introspective, guilt-like concern for others, shaped by ritual and Buddhist influences. |
Abstract
The eponymous hero of The Tale of Genji has been frequently described as promiscuous and morally reprobate. This essay explores the construction of selfhood in the novel and suggests that Genji goes on a moral journey. It draws on the work of the American philosopher Herbert Fingarette, whose classic analysis of the Analects of Confucius posits ritual as the main influence in the construct of the person in the tradition associated with his name. The present essay uses the youthful Genji’s precocious achievements as a performer of ritual, music, calligraphy, and dance as a starting point. It suggests that initially his reflexes reflect concern with his own reputation and shame at discovery of transgression rather than inwardly directed guilt. As he grows older, however, partly under Buddhist influence, gradually he becomes more introspectively concerned with the impact of his behavior on others. The essay identifies several agencies that structure the moral world of the novel, including Buddhist notions of predestination, retribution, and spirit possession.