The Tale of Genji: 31 – Makibashira (ii)

My last post on The Tale of Genji looked at the fate of poor Tamakazura, and how Higekuro’s bold/atrocious advances finally sealed her fate, but as I alluded to at the end of the post, there are far more people affected by the bearded one’s actions than just his unfortunate bride. Today, then, we’ll be focusing on the ripple effect of this marriage, with many people suffering as a result of Higekuro’s decision to take a new wife. As you’d expect, putting an end to an existing marriage doesn’t come without its risks, and sooner or later, even the cocky Higekuro is bound to come a cropper… ***** At the start of Chapter 31, ‘Makibashira’ (‘The Cypress Pillar’ in Edward Seidensticker’s translation), once Genji has accepted that there’s no rescuing Tamakazura from Higekuro’s grasp, he urges caution on the part of the successful lover, reminding him there are other people he needs to be mindful of (in Seidensticker’s words): Higekuro wanted to take her home with him as soon as possible.…