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The Tale of Genji Who Killed the Shining Prince? An Early Japanese WhodunitPeople often
call The Tale of Genji_ (written ca. 1008) Japan's literary masterpiece
and the world's first novel, by which they seem to mean the world's first
full exploration of our complex emotional lives and interpersonal relationships.
These labels, however--while of course complimentary--fail to explain Genji's
great commercial success: the toiletries, Final Fantasy-style picture books
and even "Hello, Kitty" figurines created by and for people who
may never read a word of the thousand-page text. In this FIG, linked to
beginning Japanese language and English composition courses that will stretch
your mind and strengthen your writing skills, we will track the tale's
afterlife in film, art, and merchandising while resolving a mystery that
has lasted a millennium: who kills the hero, the Shining Prince? And, more
important, how and why does s/he do it?
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