Great Books V  Spring 2010
  The Tale of Genji  
Seeking to follow the call of the nestling crane

The open boat is lost among the reeds.

March 29 - Read Chapters 1-6
  1. What effect does our humanity have on beauty in the world?

  2. What is the significance of the use of poetry in the novel?

  3. What adjectives best characterize each of the following characters: Emperor, Fujitsubo, Genji, & Murasaki?

 

 

April 1 - Read Chapters 7-12
  1. Identify the key poems of the work.

  2. How does Genji serve as a tragic hero?

  3. Bring your own interpretive questions about this work.