Theme Of Individualism In The Tale Of Genji

Individualism is a principal concept where one can have the liberty of expressing themselves without the hinder of any over collective cultural rule or government control. Throughout the ages the Japanese always have some kind of reform and control towards its people. The concept of Individualism may not have seemed to exist in the minds of the Japanese until the 19th century. So what makes this principle of individualism so interesting? What did the Japanese derive from this concept? And when did it all begin? The act of expressing oneself has been around ever since human started to acknowledge their own surroundings. However, the idea of individualism itself was nonexistent before the middle age. Let's take a look at how the concept of individualism affects the Japanese mythology and the history behind it.
In the Tale of Genji, we can see how Genji describes in detail about every woman that he met and fall in love with. This principle may have linked to some of the characters in the story, although this concept may not have come to mind when lady Murasaki wrote the Tale of Genji, but the fact still remains that these characters are able to express his feelings towards one another in the novel. The Tale of Genji tells us a story about how Genji grows up and builds his characteristic. The story also justifies the influence of Confucian folklore and methodology throughout