28 源氏物語
「いろは歌」が作られてより百年近くたって古今集が作られましたが、古今集より百
年ばかりたつと、枕草子と源氏物語とが作られました。古今集は、以後千年の間、歌壇
に最高の地位を占めますが、小説として同様に最も重んぜられてきたものは源氏物語で
あり、国文学として之と肩を並べるものは枕草子です。
枕草子は、清少納言の作ったものです。清と云うのは、その家が清原氏であったから
ですが、この家は天武天皇の皇子舎人親王から出ていまして、代々文学にすぐれた才能
をもっていました。（中略）
清少納言は、一条天皇の皇后にお仕え申し上げていました。
枕草子は日記でも小説でも無く、随筆です。数年の間に、気のむくままに書きためた
もので、出来上がったのは、一条天皇の長保年間でしょう。（中略）
その清少納言と時代を同じうして、文学の上では競争者として現れたのが紫式部です
。父は藤原為時、長い間式部丞（式部省の事務官）をつとめたので、地方長官になりた
いと希望をもっていました。長徳二年正月、その希望はかなえられたが、ふたをあけて
見ると、淡路守でした。為時、之を悲しんで歎願書を一条天皇にたてまつりました。天
皇之を憐れみ給い、俄に任地を越前に変更せられました。為時は感激して、女の紫式部
をつれて、越前（福井県）の国府（武生市）へ赴任しました。女子とは云え、才学は兄
の惟規よりもすぐれ、兄が史記を学ぶのを傍で聴いていて、兄よりも先に覚えてしまう
ので、「嗚呼この子が男であったら」と、父が歎いた事、紫式部日記に書いてあります
。そのような事情で、十八、九歳の頃、しばらく越前へ下ったのが、紫式部の京都を離
れた唯一の経験で、父が次に越後守に任ぜられた時には、ついて行ったのは兄の惟規だ
けで、紫式部は京に留まり、そして藤原宣孝に嫁ぎました。（中略）
式部は、結婚後三年ばかりで夫が亡くなったので、数年の間、寂しい生活をしました
。そしてやがて一条天皇の中宮上東門院に宮仕えする事になりましたが、その前の寂し
い生活の間に、源氏物語を書いたとみえて、宮仕えの時には、それが一条天皇の御目に
とまり、人に読ませてお聞きになって、「この物語の作者は、日本紀を読んでいるので
あろう、誠に才のある筆である」と仰せられたので、宮中では、式部にあだ名して、「
日本紀の御局」と云った事が、日記に見えています。日本紀と云うのは、日本書紀の事
です。
源氏物語と云うのは、皇族であって臣籍に下り、源氏の姓を賜った人、源光と云う美
しい貴公子を主人公として、その一生、多くの女性との交際を描写したものですが、全
部で五十四帖（帖はこの場合、巻と解すればよろしい）、すこぶる長篇で、根気よく之
を書きつづけた事だけでも、驚歎すべき事ですが、それが実に美しく描かれています。
（中略）
イギリスで最も尊重せられているのは、シェークスピア（Shakespeare）でしょう。（
中略）そのシェークスピアが生まれたのは、西暦一五六四年、亡くなったのは一六一六
年、それにくらべると紫式部は六百年ばかり前になります。ドイツで誇りとされる文豪
は、ファウスト（Faust）を書いたゲーテ（Goethe）でしょう。ゲーテの生まれたのは一
七四九年、亡くなったのは一八三二年ですから、紫式部におくれる事、八百年です。（
以下略）
TOP
28 The Tale of Genji
The compilation of Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems (Kokinshuu) took
place nearly one hundred years after the composition of the Iroha Song. Another
hundred years later, The Pillow Book of Sei Shounagon (Makura no Soushi) and
The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) came into existence. In the field of
poetry, Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems (Kokinshuu) occupied the highest
place for the next thousand years. Similarly in the field of literature, The
Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) came to carry the greatest prestige, rivaled
only by The Pillow Book of Sei Shounagon (Makura no Soushi).
The Pillow Book was the product of Sei Shounagon. Her name "Sei" came from her
last name "Kiyohara 清原," in which the Chinese character 清 could be read
"kito" in Japanese rendering, and "sei" in Chinese rendering. This house, known
for generations for its literary genius, descended from Prince Toneri, the son
of Emperor Tenmu (r. 673-686). (an omission)
Sei Shounagon served as a lady-in-waiting for the Empress of Emperor Ichijou
(r. 986-1011).
The Pillow Book (Makura no Soushi) is neither a dialy nor a novel, but a
collection of essays. Written sporadically over a period of a few years, it was
probably completed during the Chouho era (999-1004). (an omission)
Sei Shounagon's contemporary was her literary rival Lady Murasaki (Murasaki
Shikibu). Lady Murasaki's fater was was Fujiwara no Tametoki. He served for a
long time as Secretary in the Ministry of Ceremonial, so he wished to be
appointed a Governor of a province. His request was answered in the first month
of the second year of Choutoku (996), but the appointment turned out to be the
Governor of Awaji, a small island in the Inland Sea. Disappointed, Fujiwara no
Tametoki sent a petition to Emperor Ichijou. The Emperor took pity on him, so
at the last moment the appointment was changed to the Province of Echizen (Fukui
Prefecture). Fujiwara no Tametoki was most touched by this.
When he went to the provincial capital of Echizen (Takefu city), his daughter
Lady Murasaki accompanied him. Though she was a girl, her aptitude surpassed
that of her brother Nobunori. According to The Diary of Lady Murasaki (Murasaki
Shikibu Nikki), when Nobunori took lessons in Recors of the Historian (Shiki)
the Chinese classic, she listened on the side and learned it faster than
Nobunori. This prompted her father to lament: "I wish she were a boy." She was
eighteen or nineteen years old when she went to Echizen Province, the only time
she left Kyouto. When her father was nekt appointed Covernor of Echigo Provinc
e (Niigata prefecture) her brother Nobunori accompained him. Lady Murasaki
stayed in Kyouto, and eventually married Fujiwara no Nobutaka. (an omission)
Lady Murasaki's husband died after three years of marriage. She spent several
years in solitude, and then she was appointed as a lady-in-waiting of Empress
of Emperor Ichijou, who was later called Joutoumon-in.
The Tale of Gengi (Genji Monogatari) seems to have been written during the
years she spent alone. Thus when she went to the palace, Emperor Ichijou heard
about it and he had someone read it to him. He then commented: "The author
must have read Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki). What a talent for
story-telling." This won her a nickname in the palace, "The Lady of Nihongi,"
where Nihongi refers to Chronicled of Japan (Nihon Shoki). This episode is recorded in
her Diary (Murasaki Shikibu Nikki).
The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) is a story of a handsome prince known by
the name of Hikaru Genji, and his life-long encounters with many women. Genji
was originally a member of the imperial family, but later became a lay
aristocrat and was given the family name "Genji." There are 54 volumes. It is
astounding enough that she persisted through these volumes, but they also
display beautiful style. (an omission)
The most revered English literary figure is Shakespeare.(an omission)
Now Shakespeare was born in 1564, and passed away in 1616. Lady Murasaki's
time was some 600 years before that.
A singular German literary giant is Goethe, the author of Faust. Goethe was
born in 1749, and passed away in 1832, again 800 years after Lady Murasaki's
time. (Rest omitted)
TOP
少年日本史 (平泉澄)
The story of Japan （Hiraizumi Kiyoshi)
|