Popular Post Anomalocaris Posted October 11, 2019 Popular Post #1 Share Posted October 11, 2019 (edited) Oldest Manuscript of the World’s Oldest Novel Quote The oldest written copy of part of the 11th-century Japanese epic The Tale of Genji, has been found in the home of a Tokyo family with ancestral ties to a feudal lord. Seen as the world’s first novel, The Tale of Genji was completed around 1010 by a woman of the 11th-century Heian court of Japan, who was later given the name Murasaki Shikibu by scholars. It centres on the fortunes – amorous and political – of Genji, the son of an emperor. The original manuscript of the story no longer exists, with the oldest versions of the story believed to have been transcribed by the poet Teika, who died in 1241. Lost chapter of world's first novel found in Japanese storeroom Edited October 11, 2019 by Anomalocaris 8 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwynbleidd Posted October 11, 2019 #2 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Wow, that is absolutely extraordinary. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scholar4Truth Posted October 11, 2019 #3 Share Posted October 11, 2019 mr miyagi approved 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted October 11, 2019 #4 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Wonderful. It makes you wonder how many other such finds there might be out there. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wistman Posted October 11, 2019 #5 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Amazing find. But...isn't the 12th Dyn. Ancient Egyptian 'Tale of Sinuhe' the first novel? 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taun Posted October 11, 2019 #6 Share Posted October 11, 2019 1 hour ago, The Wistman said: Amazing find. But...isn't the 12th Dyn. Ancient Egyptian 'Tale of Sinuhe' the first novel? I'm wondering where the "Epic of Gilgamesh" and "The Iliad" fit in as well... 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHaYap Posted October 11, 2019 #7 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Probably thousands and thousands more that were lost, burned and destroyed that no one knows about... ~ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hetrodoxly Posted October 11, 2019 #8 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Beowulf was penned before long before 1010. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Desertrat56 Posted October 11, 2019 #9 Share Posted October 11, 2019 4 hours ago, Taun said: I'm wondering where the "Epic of Gilgamesh" and "The Iliad" fit in as well... Gilgamesh was written about 2100 BC, quite an old story. The Iliad was written in the 8th century (1200 years ago relatively recent). 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taun Posted October 12, 2019 #10 Share Posted October 12, 2019 (edited) 19 hours ago, Desertrat56 said: Gilgamesh was written about 2100 BC, quite an old story. The Iliad was written in the 8th century (1200 years ago relatively recent). I knew the basic time frames of the two tales, I was just wondering if they counted since they were both basically "religious" in nature and if they were not "novels" by definition... And of course the Iliad was a spoken poem for quite a long time before it was put down in writing... Edited October 12, 2019 by Taun 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHaYap Posted October 12, 2019 #11 Share Posted October 12, 2019 China... The Chinese loves their novel tales... ~ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissJatti Posted October 13, 2019 #12 Share Posted October 13, 2019 1010 AD, im sure theres been novels discovered before that time. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Desertrat56 Posted October 13, 2019 #13 Share Posted October 13, 2019 On 10/12/2019 at 8:16 AM, Taun said: I knew the basic time frames of the two tales, I was just wondering if they counted since they were both basically "religious" in nature and if they were not "novels" by definition... And of course the Iliad was a spoken poem for quite a long time before it was put down in writing... In what way was either of those religious? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taun Posted October 13, 2019 #14 Share Posted October 13, 2019 2 hours ago, Desertrat56 said: In what way was either of those religious? If I remember correctly Gilgamesh was in search of Immortality and was accompanied - or assisted in his quest - by a god or demi-god... It also had other gods figuring in the story - in fact there is an account of "The Flood" that would later seemingly become "Noah's flood"... The Iliad was a tale of how spiteful and petty Greek Gods could be - and what their pettiness does to the humans that interact with them... So in a sense they were religious (which is why I put the word Religious in quotes)... Were they true novels, or morality plays masked as religious myths?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Desertrat56 Posted October 13, 2019 #15 Share Posted October 13, 2019 2 minutes ago, Taun said: If I remember correctly Gilgamesh was in search of Immortality and was accompanied - or assisted in his quest - by a god or demi-god... It also had other gods figuring in the story - in fact there is an account of "The Flood" that would later seemingly become "Noah's flood"... The Iliad was a tale of how spiteful and petty Greek Gods could be - and what their pettiness does to the humans that interact with them... So in a sense they were religious (which is why I put the word Religious in quotes)... Were they true novels, or morality plays masked as religious myths?... I get what you are saying, but maybe we think of religious differently. Maybe they were morality plays, stories of heros who went where no one else dared. Stories that included mythological characters, but I think more novels and entertainment than anything. I do have to say I did not live during the times those stories were originally told so I don't know what people thought of them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taun Posted October 13, 2019 #16 Share Posted October 13, 2019 2 minutes ago, Desertrat56 said: I get what you are saying, but maybe we think of religious differently. Maybe they were morality plays, stories of heros who went where no one else dared. Stories that included mythological characters, but I think more novels and entertainment than anything. I do have to say I did not live during the times those stories were originally told so I don't know what people thought of them. A very true and commendable statement... (Though sometimes I do feel like I am old enough to have been there ) When I was in school (back in the pre-historic, pre-internet days) I had a teacher that covered the Greek Myths in class... She stressed to us that Greek Myths (the religious texts of the day) were largely morality tales, meant to teach citizens "proper morality" - and were somewhat apart from "church" (or temple) dogma ... I guess her lessons stuck with me and that is the filter I see ancient myths through... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now