wants to start his retirement and ask Genji to marry his daughter for he find no one else is capable or have sufficient experience to be a protector of such a girl of
a high title. Genji and Murasaki cannot make their dream comes true for now Genji gains high social status for marrying a princess, and it indeed makes him
hard to keep Murasaki as a wife. But practically, since the princess is still a child, Murasaki has to take over the role as the chief lady who manages the house. Genji
knows that Murasaki looks fine, but inside her is a broken heart even though she can be sure for Genji‘s unchanging feeling toward her. The similarity between
Genji‘s and Emperor‘s marriage life is that in the end they have to deal with the prevailing social system of rank equality.
B. The Reflection of the Aristocratic Social Life in Heian era through the
Setting of the Novel
In this second part of fourth chapter, the analysis focuses on the setting of the novel. Since the story claims in using a certain set of time in history, the
history that is explained in this part of analysis is not the whole history of its time but more like some aspects of the history reflected in the story. As seen in the title
of the research, the object of this study takes certain time and place as the setting, like the explanation of theory setting in chapter two of this research. To find out
about the setting of a story, it is mentioned that setting is the background against which the act take a place. In the theory of setting, the elements defined as setting
are the geographical location, the occupations and daily manner of living of the characters, the time or period in which the action takes place, for example, certain
part of history, and the general environment of the characters, for example,
religious, mental, moral, social, and emotional conditions. ―Consequently, the
world of The Tale of Genji is not really the world of Heian Japan at large; it is more accurately the refined world of the inner circle of the highest class in the
land‖ Puette, 1983: 25. In an instant reading, a reader may mistake the society in the novel as a whole representation of Heian Era in Japan. Actually it is not a
whole representation of Heian Japan but it is limited only on its aristocrat‘s life which mentioned as ‗the inner circle of the highest class in the land‘. From that
reference of the object of the study, the writer is sure that the novel uses a history of a certain era of Japan called Heian as its setting. Mostly the description about
the setting in the novel are explained through the occupations and daily manner of living of the characters, and the general environment of the characters, like
religious, mental, moral, social, and emotional conditions. Even though this part gives some historical explanation, but the focus is still in the setting of the novel.
Since The Tale of Genji is a novel that describes in detail on every daily manner of its characters and describes thoroughly about the characters‘ internal feelings
and the characters‘ development, another element of setting that really important is the daily manner of the characters and general environments and the society.
Here is the portrayal of some highlighted aspects of Heian aristocratic social life reflected in The Tale of Genji.
At the court of an Emperor he lived no matters not when there was among the gentlewomen of the Wardrobe and Chamber one, who though
she was not of very high rank was favored far beyond all the rest; so that the great ladies of the palace, each of whom had secretly hoped that she
herself would be chosen, looked with scorn and hatred upon the upstart who had dispelled their dreams. Shikibu, 2010: 4
As the reader can see, in the beginning of the novel it is already described that in the time of the story, the society is ruled by an Emperor, in a palace. It is
also impliedly said that to have many wives is common for the imperial and aristocrat of the court. This system of aristocratic society mostly leads the ladies‘
life into a competition within the household. They can do nothing but just waiting for the man‘s visitation to their lodge or chamber. This situation often grows
jealousy toward the chosen woman. Moreover, if the women who get the man‘s love bestowed upon her has lower rank than the other lady. This is conducted by
Morris statement in his book about The Tale of Genji . He said that, ―Courting and
marriage customs differed according to the particular degree of relationship principal wife, concubine, etc.; it is nevertheless possible to formulate a general
pattern that had been adopted by the upper classes in Murasaki‘s time‖ Morris, 1
964: 214. That many wives‘ status is ordered by the ladies‘ degree. It depends on the rank the lady has. Among the ladies, there must be one lady who will take
the title as the officialprincipal wife who will lead the rest of the ladies in the house while the other lady will get the status as concubine. Besides, to become an
official wife is not easy because the people must obey the rule for a marriage in its relation to the rank system in the aristocratic society which is required an equality
of rank between the husband and wife official wife. It is expressed in the story. unfortunately she was not of the same rank as the courtiers who waited
upon him in the Upper Palace, so that despite his love for her, and though she wore all the airs of a great lady, it was not without considerable
qualms that he now made it his practice to have her by him not only when there was to be some entertainment, but even when any business of
importance was afoot. Shikibu, 2010: 5
This is an example of case of a rank system. The quotation is about the Emperor who loves Lady Kiritsubo one of concubines who has a low rank. The rank
existed in the society is an absolute system that has to be obeyed by all the aristocratic peoples even an Emperor. It is explained in part A about the
Emperor‘s marriage with Kiritsubo, which is ended up with her death. ―The dead lady had been imperiled by the Emperor‘s favor only because the Court was not
willing to accept her‖ Shikibu, 2010: 14. She is a beloved concubine, Lady Kiritsubo Ge
nji‘s Mother who cannot be kept as an official wife due to her low rank compared to the other. An unpredictable turn of life because of rank system
also happens to Lady Kokiden, his first wife and as his official wife. ―His eldest born prince was the son of Lady Kokiden. The daughter of the Minister of the
Right, and this child was treated by all with the respect due to the undoubted heir apparent‖ Shikibu, 2010: 5. That time, she has the highest rank among the other
lady, and moreover, she gets her eldest son, Suzaku appointed as heir apparent and she might be sure to be an empress. But later on, The Emperor has one more
wife, ―She was however of much higher rank, so that everyone was anxious to please her‖ Shikibu, 2010: 14. The latest wife Fujitsubo has far a higher rank
compared to Kokiden and becomes the empress while Kokiden just reach the high status as a mother of an emperor which is not as high as empress.
Another case for rank system also can be seen in Genji‘s marriage life. It is mentioned
in the note from the translator of the novel that, ―Since Aoi‘s death Genji had no wife, Murasaki being technically only a chief concubine, her mother
low rank making it impossible for her to be a kita no kata or Legitimate consort‖
Shikibu, 2010: 626. The rank system also becomes the hardest term that Genji has to deal with in his life. Genji, who is set as a commoner in the court by his
father the Emperor, had Aoi was dead in her young age after give him a child a daughter of a Minister as his first wife. That makes Genji get the rank as high as
Aoi. So that Genji cannot take Murasaki as his official wife since she has lower rank than him, and only becomes the chief lady of the household.
Murasaki had naturally not been slow to realize —that what Genji had not
hitherto definitely disclosed —that Nyosan had come as a bride.The
discovery came as a cruel blow, yet even so there was no reason to suppose that the newcomer was likely in any sense to take Murasaki‘s
place. Shikibu, 2010: 631-632
Unpredictable event happens in his life that also gives him and Murasaki the misery at the same time for he has to marry Nyosan, a daughter of current
emperor, Suzaku. For him to marry a princess is such a fortunate even for his household but it also makes the dista
nce between Genji‘s social status and Murasaki farther than before. On the other hand, practically Nyosan is young and
act more in childish way, so that Murasaki still has to take control all the arrangement and preparation in the household.
The Heian aristocrats have their own flow in life. Most of the main ideas are expressed in The Broom-Tree
chapter, ―We have our ups and downs – and the woman even more than the man‖ Shikibu, 2010: 37. Like Genji‘s case above,
the aristocrat do not know when they meet their up and down. This aspect is described and expressed in The Broom-Tree chapter, where Genji is in a
discussion with his bestfriend To no Chujo and also two courtiers. Uma no Kami spoke first, ―However high a lady may rise, if she does not
come of an adequate stock, the world will think very differently of her
from what it would of one born to such honors; but if trough adverse fortune a lady of highest rank find herself in friendless misery, the noble
breeding of her mind is soon forgotten and she becomes an object of contempt.
For sometimes people of high rank sink to the most abject position; while others of common birth rise to be high officers, wear self-important faces,
redecorate the inside of their house and think themselves as good as anyone Shikibu, 2010: 20.
It is described in the story that as an aristocrat, it does not mean that one will always be in the upper position in work, prosperity, relationship, or social status,
once he or she gets a grip on high rank by sponsor or marriage. The quotation above gives the reader the idea that for the aristocrats the up and down work on
both men and women, but the ones who are experiencing sudden life change and also get the impact from the change are the aristocratic women. In the court, they
have to do what they can do to survive. For the men, what they can do is to gain prosperity by working and get a position as high as they can get. For the woman
of this era, they have to get their own sponsor or protector in order to survive and make her way in the court. The only way to get the sponsor for a woman is
through a marriage. She has to marry a high ranked man . ―Many of them grow up
into women who it would be folly to despise; some have been admitted to court, where they have enjoyed a quite
unexpected success‖ Shikibu, 2010: 21. Most of the descriptions related to aristocratic life are telling the reader about the way
they have to manage their life in court. From the quotation that just mentioned, it shows the reader about how the social is working to deal with the societys system.
Most of the aristocrat family compete one another to send their daughter to the
court so that their daughter get the chance to get married with nobleman who has higher social status or even they are sent to marry the imperial men. Another
example, there are some descriptions of aristocratic marriage which has some different purposes. Like Genji‘s marriage with Aoi which is held as an arranged
marriage to get him a minister as a protector. His sponsor, the Minister of the Left, had an only daughter whose beauty
he Heir apparent had noticed. But now the father began to think he would not encourage that match, but would offer her to Genji. He sounded the
Emperor upon this, and found that he would be very glad to obtain for the boy the advantage of so powerful a connection. Shikibu, 2010: 16
Here in the quotation impliedly show the reader that in its time, marriage is not only a legalization tool of a union between a man and woman who love each other.
Marriage can be done as a sign of a connection between two families in order to tie their relationship as they give mutual benefit for the family. The quotation
above is about the emperor and the minister of the left who hold an arranged marriage for Genji and Aoi. From The Emperor side, the main point of the
marriage is to get a protector for Genji who has no strong support in order to stay in the court since he comes from a low rank mother. Meanwhile from the Minister
of the Left side, the marriage will give his family much more benefit for he will get a son of an emperor as his son-in-
law. The Minister‘s family will have advantages since they have such a strong connection with the imperial family.
In Heian era, marriage is the fastest way to gain more prosperity. It is the only way, especially for the women, to take a leap in raising rank, and as steps
ladder for the courtiers to get inside the upper classes. ―But it is true that a girl as she grows up needs the backing of powerful friends if she is to make her way in
the world‖ Shikibu, 2010: 87. That is why in the novel, there are some descriptions about the women of its time that get their luck in getting inside the
upper classes by marrying the nobleman of the palace or the member of the imperial. This issue is not only found from the direct description in the story but
can be seen in Murasaki‘s live. Mentioned in The Sacred Tree Chapter, The announcement of his marriage with Murasaki was very well received
by the world at large. … Her father Prince Hyobukyo asked for nothing better for such a match, but his wife, who had not managed to do half as
well for her own children on whom she doted, was extremely jealous of her step-
child‘s triumph, and this marriage continued to be very sore point with her. Indeed Murasaki‘s career had been more like that of some step-
child in fiction than of a real young person. Shikibu, 2010: 198
Murasaki is a daughter of a prince with a mere mistress and now she becomes Genji‘s wife. Since Genji is a son of an Emperor, it makes her now included in the
environment of the upper classes and automatically has a connection with the imperial family. It is true that she cannot raise her career in court any further than
being a chief lady of Genji. On the other hand, the fact that she is a wife of one of the Emperor‘s son is the most fortunate thing that can be happen upon Murasaki
who has low rank. That luck of Murasaki is the reason why her step-mother feels jealous. She acknowledges Murasaki as a mere step daughter who has lower rank
than her daughters and yet she gets a direct connection with the imperial and raises her social status.
C. The Reflection of the Concept of Heian Japanese Aristocratic
