In The Tale of Genji, Murasaki Shikibu writes about the life and times of the Heian court, including examples of how man and woman ideal woman should act during this period. The Heian period is considered the peak of Japanese aristocratic culture in terms of art, literature and poetry. The Heian period is called the golden age of peace and harmony. It is entirely appropriate that Murasaki Shikibu describes the ideal man and woman when writing about this golden age of Japanese history. (Heian Period)The Ideal ManPrince Genji is the ideal Heian man because he is handsome, sensitive, a wonderful poet and a magnificent dancer. (Tale of Genji) He is physically very handsome and no woman was safe from his advances. “Genji the Lover is incredibly handsome, charming, and eloquent, and he seems to enjoy unlimited material means throughout his life.” (Tyler xiii) “He appeared so handsome that he seemed almost out of this world, and this aroused a certain fear in the emperor. » (Tyler 9) “No other imperial lady hid from him either, for he was already so charmingly distinguished that they found him a charming and stimulating playmate. Naturally, he applied himself to formal scholarship, but he also made the heavens resonate with the music of strings and flute. (Tyler 9-10) During the Heian period, an educated person like Genji who wrote beautiful poetry became well known and highly regarded. “When the time came to declaim the poems, the reader could not agree with that of Genji because the assembly repeated and commented with admiration on each verse. Even the doctors were impressed. His Majesty was undoubtedly delighted, since for him Genji was the glory of every occasion. (Tyler 153) The poetry in the middle of a paper......drove him with wonder and desperate desire. (Tyler 40)ConclusionThe author of The Tale of Genji, Murasaki Shikibu, was a woman and it is interesting to note that the hero Prince Genji is a man and he takes many wives and lovers during his life. Murasaki had special knowledge about how men and women interacted during the Heian period and this knowledge led to a gripping story about how men and women lived up to the ideals that Heian society expected of them. them. Works Cited “Heian Period”. » Women in World History Studies Program. npnd Web. February 25, 2011.. “The Tale of Genji”. Invitation to world literature. npnd Web. February 25, 2011..Tyler, Royall. The Tale of Genji Abridged. New York: Penguin Group, 2006. Print.