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[hikarugenji]

I recently finished my MA Thesis on the stories told by the men in the Hahakigi chapter (2), and in the course of that study I came across a very interesting theory of the ordering of the early chapters of Genji. It has long been recognized that there are problems in the early Genji chapters as they stand; they're in rough chronological order, but

Comments

[kristeenamarie]

So your theory pretty much assumes that Murasaki Shikibu was a sloppy writer, right? The sudden appearance of Rokujo is not the only instance in which the narration relies on the assumption that the reader will adapt immediately. The Uji chapters are an example, although the authorship there is in question (again, I like to side with the theory of narrative genius). Regardless, it words. Am I right? As a narrative technique, it is effective and it places the narrator's bias into question. We already know she is unfailingly enamored with Genji, so her perspective is already skewed

[kristeenamarie]

*it works

[hikarugenji]

Just to be clear, this is not "my" theory but a theory that has been written about by a number of life-long Genji scholars, both Japanese and non-Japanese.

If you want to read Aileen Gatten's article for yourself, here is a link (if you have access to JSTOR through a university):
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0073-0548(198106)41%3A1%3C5%3ATOOTEC%3E2.0.CO;2-K

I'm not going to attempt a second-hand defense of the theory since I haven't really done the relevant study myself.

[kristeenamarie]

yes, i noted that in your original entry. my apologies if i attacked you personally. just trying to stir up some discussion in an inactive community!