From this prohibition, women like Murasaki Shikibu helped develop what would become known as classical Japanese prose. But because Murasaki wrote in a style of Japanese that was still developing from the spoken language, many of the physical gestures often associated with the spoken word make the prose seem "flowery," and overly descriptive. Women had a secondary role in society, and this was reflected in the writings of Murasaki as women seem to define themselves in relations to the men in their lives. And because 11th century Japan was not a monogamous society, containing both wives and concubines, the imagery used to describe women and their relationship to men is commonly filled with jealousy and rivalry. Women themselves are often portrayed from the point-of-view of longing for their man, waiting patiently for him to visit, and always willing to please him. They are also seen as vindictive and hateful as when the evil spirit of Rokujo Lady possessed the body of Genji's beloved Lady Murasaki making her ill and resulting in her death. The evil spirit admitted to Genji that it had been in possession of Murasaki's body because, as the spirit stated "I have wanted you to suffer as I suffered." (Murasaki 2001) It may be true that both Sappho and Murasaki...
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