Introduction
Poetry is an art-form which has been for a long time and for different reasons. This is because of the intense value and wealth in knowledge that poems have been used to convey. Poems have been passed down generations as a way of passing knowledge. The Heian period was no exception. People utilized poetry as a form of expression for thoughts and feeling. This is partly because it was pleasing aesthetically and because poetry was easy to develop with puns and aesthetics. The Tale of the Genji is clearly depicts this. The story employs a wealth of poems to show their usage in the Heian era in daily life and as a method of conveying double messages.
The Tale of the Genji contains numerous poems and for various reasons. First, this is because poems helped convey messages with intelligence. Genji was perceived as one who had a wealth of knowledge in developing poems. While it was commonplace for people to use poetry at that time, he was the major contender. Genji made use of every chance available to make poetry. For example, he composes one as he waits for a bishop. In his poem, he talks of his voice being dispelled by voices which are borne on the gale (McCullough 209). This shows the kind of regularity and ease with which people composed poetry during that time. Also, the seriousness and types of messages in the poems differed greatly. The art form is used for awareness regarding the impermanence that surrounds the people. For example, the impermanence of seasons is detailed with a great deal of emotional quality using poetry. For example, Fujiwara Teika, the courtier, creates a poem known as autumn hut which creates a feeling of sadness. He talks about gazing afar and asking neither for “cherry flowers” nor “crimson leaves”, words which talk of autumn. (Brower and Miner 307). In this regard, poetry reveals the theme of dynamic nature which is highly used in Japanese rhetoric.
Another reason why poetry is used widely in the Tale of the Genji is because of the many puns afforded to the Heian people by their language. These puns made the composition of poetry much easier. For example, “The transient seaweed” and “as a diversion” are used in the poem (McCullough 207) to portray two meanings. The reader may look at the poem either in a direct or indirect manner. However, the transient seaweed is a representation of the woman Genji sees before arriving in Murasaki. Genji (as the fisherman) tells her that while the woman distracted him, he still had thoughts for her.
The third reason that explains poetry in the Heian era, as represented in the tale of the Genji, is that people ensured that all aspects of life were accorded an artistic bearing (even simple speech). The aristocratic class pursued art as an occupation, turning everyday mundane activities like love-making, courtship and letter-writing into art-forms. As a form of expression, poetry beautified life. In some instances, Genji speaks poetry and those around him become overcome by emotion and shed tears.
The fourth reason why poetry was significant in the Heian period is because it was a type of language. Poetry is a way of speaking. Genji uses poetry speak out of his inner feelings and thoughts. He strongly believed that the imperial line impure unlike how it had been represented to be. In the midst of all the back-biting, deceit and scheming of the powerful people that surrounded him. Genji used poetry as a language to find peace and communicate to those he could trust.
The fifth reason why poetry is prevalent in Japanese culture and particularly in the Tale of the Genji is because it was used to record and store history. There is a great bond between painting and poetry. Narrative tales were told through verbal means while paintings served as “memory banks” for occurrences that were unrecorded in writing. This implies that poetry was not only useful as it could be integrated into other art forms but also since it was important for posterity. Poetry was also significant because it was laced with metaphors, allusions and symbolisms which played an integral role in Japanese culture.
Conclusion
Poetry as art in Japanese history is well capture in the Tale of the Genji. Because of the regularity of use in the story, its significance cannot be overemphasized. Poetry was used to convey intelligent messages as well as hidden messages. It captured the Heian culture by conforming to the practice of transforming every aspect of life (even language) into art. It was also employed for posterity purposes as a “memory bank” for future generations.
Work Cited
Brower, Robert H., and Earl Roy Miner. Japanese court poetry. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1961. Print.
McCullough, Helen Craig. Brocade by night: "Kokin wakashū" and the court style in Japanese classical poetry. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1985. Print.
