The Story of Sagoromo

A story from the mid-Heian period. The author has long been thought to be Daini-sanmi (the daughter of Murasaki Shikibu), but today it is generally agreed that it was written by Princess Baishi of Rokujo Saiin. It is thought to have been written around the Jōryaku period (1077-1081).

This story is made up of four volumes, and the main male character, Sagoromo-no-Taisho, is in love with his beautiful cousin, Genji no Miya, throughout the entire story. However, his love is not reciprocated, and he composes a poem, "I wear many layers of robes, secretly longing for them at midnight," in an attempt to maintain his pure love, but in reality, he ends up having relationships with one woman after another, unwillingly. With his love for Genji as the undercurrent, the story unfolds with the appearance of Asukai-no-Kimi in volume 1, Saga-in's Second Princess in volume 2, Ippon-no-Miya in volume 3, and Fujitsubo no Chugu in volume 4, and includes these women. However, these women were also forced into an agonizing love affair, with Asukai no Kimi disappearing and dying, Onna Ninomiya becoming a nun, and Ippon no Miya being estranged from the moment they were married. Sagoromo no Taisho unexpectedly ascended to the throne and fathered a son with Fujitsubo no Chugu, who resembled Genji, but his heart was filled with thoughts of Asukai no Kimi and Onna Ninomiya, and he could not find peace in his heart. As seen in the passage in Mumyouzoshi, "Sagomo no Monogatari is second only to Genji and should be remembered well," Sagoromo no Monogatari has been highly praised since early times. Although it has been criticized as a imitation of The Tale of Genji, there is also a movement to reevaluate it as a highly accomplished work.

[Haruki Ii]

"The Complete Collection of Japanese Classics: The Tale of Sagoromo, Volumes 1 and 2, annotated by Matsumura Hiroshi and Ishikawa Toru (1965 , 1967, Asahi Shimbun)" "The Complete Collection of Japanese Classics: The Tale of Sagoromo, annotated by Mitani Eiichi and Sekine Keiko (1965, Iwanami Shoten)" " The Fukagawa Edition: The Tale of Sagoromo and Its Research, by Yoshida Koichi (1982, Classic Library)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安中期の物語。作者は古くから大弐三位(だいにのさんみ)（紫式部娘）とされていたが、今日では六条斎院禖子(ばいし)内親王家宣旨(せんじ)とすることでほぼ一致している。成立は承暦(じょうりゃく)年間（1077～1081）の前後であったと思われる。

　この物語は4巻からなり、男主人公の狭衣大将が、従妹の美しい源氏の宮へ思慕の情を寄せることで全編が貫かれている。ただその恋の思いは果たすことができず、彼は「色々に重ねては着じ人知れず思ひそめてし夜半の狭衣」との歌を詠み、純粋な愛を貫こうとするが、現実には不本意ながら次々と別の女性との関係をもつに至る。源氏の宮への恋慕を底流にしながら、巻1では飛鳥井(あすかい)の君、巻2では嵯峨院女二宮(さがのいんおんなにのみや)、巻3では一品宮(いっぽんのみや)、巻4では藤壺中宮(ふじつぼのちゅうぐう)を登場させ、狭衣大将との恋物語を展開する。だがその女性たちも、飛鳥井の君は失踪(しっそう)して死に、女二宮は出家し、一品宮とは結婚した当初から疎遠な仲であるなど、苦悶(くもん)の多い恋愛を強いられる。思いがけなく狭衣大将は帝位につき、源氏の宮におもかげの似る藤壺中宮との間に皇子をもうけるが、彼の心は飛鳥井の君や女二宮などを思って晴れるおりがなかったという。『無名草子(むみょうぞうし)』に「狭衣こそ源氏に次ぎてはよう覚え侍(はべ)れ」とあるように、早くから『狭衣物語』の評価は高い。『源氏物語』の亜流との批評もあるが、完成度の高い作品として改めて見直そうとする動きもある。

［伊井春樹］

『松村博司・石川徹校註『日本古典全書　狭衣物語』上下（1965、1967・朝日新聞社）』▽『三谷栄一・関根慶子校注『日本古典文学大系79　狭衣物語』（1965・岩波書店）』▽『吉田幸一著『深川本　狭衣とその研究』（1982・古典文庫）』

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