藤壷の宮･紫の上･六条御息所･明石の君の容姿表現

Abstract

Expressions that are used in Genjimonogatari to describe the inner character and the outer appearance of the four leading female characters have been identified and compared in this essay. Murasaki-no-ue is often known for her striking resemblance to Fujitsubo-no-miya, yet the two ladies are rarely described in the same words. Similarly, Rokujō-no-miyasundokoro and Akashi-no-kimi barely share any traits despite how Genji is reminded of Rokujō-no- miyasundokoro the moment he first meets Akashi-no-kimi. Unlike them, Murasaki-no-ue and Akashi-no-kimi, who are a less obvious pair in terms of shared traits, are explicitly described using much of the same words. There is reason to believe that the explicit similarities between the latter two may be suggestive of their dominant roles throughout the novel. In this light, Akashi-no-kimi’s shared lineage with Genji’s birth mother carries a newfound meaning, just as Murasaki-no-ue and Akashi-no-kimi’s shared traits of awarenari, uchidokezu, namamekashi, and yoshi redefine beauty.