The symbolism of cherry blossoms in The Tale of Genji

김정희

doi:10.21049/ccs.2011.25..237

This thesis is to argue what is the meaning of the expression of cherry blossoms appearing in 『Genjimonogatari(源氏物語)』 in relation with the structure of Monogatari after checking each example. First we reviewed some examples of the works before 『Genjimonogatari』,and clarified that cherry blossoms were used as metaphorical expressions of a beautiful woman in waka(和歌), and that at the same time cherry blossoms functioned as the symbol of futility, anxiety together with beauty. Especially in 『Kokinshu(古今集)』 we identified that there increased the examples where the combination of the expression as falling cherry blossoms, and fog and cherry blossoms was done. In 『Genjimonogatari』 we examined the examples of cherry blossoms of Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and clarified that Murasakinoue(紫の上) was a woman with an ideal character in looks and inner personality through the diverse viewpoints of characters. In Monogatari of Kashiwagi(柏木) of Chapter 2, the scene where he peeped Onnasannomiya(女三宮) was composed by the combination of cherry blossoms and fog, and we pointed out that we could feel the anxiety, ominousness of the love of the couple through this scene. And the composition of these scenes was also repeated in Monogatari of Chapter 3, and we discussed through these examples that the figurative expressions of cherry blossoms were used about the object of the love not to be realized. Next, we checked that Yugiri(夕霧) who had observed Kashiwagi's love toward Onnasannomiya gave a figurative expression of Kashiwagi's wife Ochibanomiya(落葉の宮) as cherry blossoms. Although Genji(源氏) realized Onnasannomiya's immaturity, Kashiwagi compared her to 「cherry blossoms」,and Yoogiri compared the woman whom Kashiwagi recognized as 「Ochiba(落『겐지모노가타리』에 나타난 벚꽃의 상징성 265葉)」 to 「cherry blossoms」, through which we have read the twisted human relation and ironical structure of Chaper 2. Finally, we checked the examples of cherry blossoms in Ooigimi(大君),Nakanokimi(中君), Ukihune(浮舟) who were Ujijujo's heroines. Ooigimi and Nakanokimi were expressed as cherry blossoms by Kaoru(薫) and Nioumiya(匂宮) and were disclosed as their ideal women. In contrast, Ukihune had something to do with two men with no such figurative expression, so it was pointed out that the absence of such metaphorical expression clarified that the meaning of her existence was nothing but the meaning as a mesiudo(召人).

Citation status

KCI Citation Counts (1)
열림/닫힘 버튼
REFERENCES (15)
열림/닫힘 버튼
* 2021년 이후 발행 논문의 참고문헌은 현재 구축 중입니다.

[book] 阿部秋夫 / 1994 / 新編日本古典文学全集『源氏物語』①-⑥ / 小学館

[book] 風巻景次郎 / 1969 / 風巻景次郎全集 4 / 桜楓社

[book] 河添房江 / 1998 / 花の喩の表現史, In 源氏物語表現史 / 翰林書房

[journal] 金静熙 / 2006 / 夕霧と落葉の宮の結婚ー錯綜する人間関係ー / 国語と国文学

[book] 小島憲之 / 1996 / 新編日本古典文学全集『日本書紀』② / 小学館

[book] 小町谷照彦 / 1984 / 夕霧の造型と和歌ー落葉の宮物語をめぐって / 東京大学出版会

[book] 斎藤正二 / 1979 / 植物と日本文化 / 八坂書房

[book] 中西進 / 2002 / 万葉集 ①─④ / 講談社文庫

[book] 原岡文子 / 2003 / 源氏物語の「桜」考源氏物語の人物と表現 / 翰林書房

[journal] 平沢竜介 / 1984 / 古今集における想像力ー桜の歌群の分析を通してー / 日本文学

[book] 広川勝美 / 1982 / 源氏物語の植物 / 笠間書院

[book] 松田武夫 / 1965 / 古今集の構造に関する研究 / 風間書房

[book] 三田村雅子 / 1996 / 召人のまなざしから, In 源氏物語　感覚の論理 / 有精堂

[book] 室城秀之 / 2001 / うつほ物語 / おうふう

[book] 山口仲美 / 1984 / 源氏物語の比喩表現, In 平安文学の文体の研究 / 明治書院

KJC Korea
Journal Central

Statistics

Tools

Sharing

Issue List

Citation status