Genji Monogatari or The Tale of Genji is a story written by Murasaki Shikibu during the Heian period. It is a highly regarded work of Japanese literature and the first part of the story is written with the main character Genji, and then continues without him. I have no knowledge of the second half of Genji Monogatari, but it is in the first section of this tale that one can glean the characteristics and traits of society's ideal men and women within the story. The criteria for an ideal man or woman in The Tale of Genji were the importance of the physical attribute of beauty, a woman's background, personality and education, and the characteristics that the story's main hero, Genji, possessed . In the society represented by Murasaki Shikibi, there is an emphasis on physical attributes for both men and women. The physical attribute that makes men and women ideal in Genji Monogatari is still highly prized today: beauty. A great example of this is the main character and character the story is named after, Genji. Genji is written as an extremely handsome and elegant being throughout the tale and his beauty is so extreme that both men and women fall before it. Upon a closer look, Genji Monogatari society's emphasis on beauty was clearly shown during the Yugao chapter. In this chapter Genji becomes gravely ill and at this time "the whole kingdom lamented that Genji, whose perfection of beauty already aroused apprehension, now seemed unlikely to live." This statement, taken from Tyler's translation of The Tale of Genji, is near the beginning of the story when all of Genji's characteristics are not yet well known. The only thing the audience really knows in this... middle of paper... important backgrounds and personal traits a woman must have to be ideal. In general, she must be very devoted to her lover, keeping him first and always being considerate of him, and does not have to worry about how he treats her. As for men, ideal traits were defined within Genji himself and included love for those to whom he devoted himself despite appearance, and the natural qualities of elegance that were given to him. Together, the manual for perfect beings was written and recorded in Japanese history, and certainly influenced the Heian society for which it was written. Works Cited Citko, Malgorazata. Handout 8 – Heian Period. (Summer 2011).Smits. Medieval Japanese history topics. chapter 8. Available online at http://www.east-asian-history.net/textbooks/480/ch8.htmTyler, Royall. The Story of Genji. Penguin Classics. (2006). page 18-86