Murasaki’s The Broom Tree befuddles me because it speaks of marriage as a focal point but from a man’s point of view. I disagree with extramarital affairs that take place in the story but I understand it is tradition during those times. In the beginning of the story the emperor is head over heels for one of his several women. They eventually give birth to his son Genji just before she dies. The emperor is both tormented by the death of her but elated by the birth of his son. He is so elated that he contemplates crowning his son prince. He is counseled against doing so by a Korean soothsayer who warns of disaster within the country if this were to happen.
At the age of 12 Genji is wedded by his wife Aoi as a sign of manhood. Aoi is four years more than Genji is in age. Although he does not foster the best relationship with his arranged wife he does so with her brother To No Chujo. Their relationship is so healthy that they comfortably exchange stories of past and current sexual affairs. I was astonished how comfortable Genji was with talking to his brother-in-law of these experiences. He falls for a woman other than his wife. I observed a parallel between his marriage structure and his father’s. Events within the story slightly differ from a marriage structure of today because more than one wife in our culture is deemed illicit.
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