This paper examines The Tale of Genji scrolls through the lens of Japanese history and the life of the author, Lady Murasaki Shikibu. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the manner in which The Tale of Genji is an expression of the life that Murasaki herself lived at court in Japan one thousand years ago. To that end, it examines some of the dominant themes in the novel and compares them to Murasaki's own experiences as expressed in her diary.
