Ancient Literature in our Modern World

                                            Rokujo Lady by Lin Golden, Flicker-photo sharing

This painting represent the image of one of the major ladies in Genji’s life-Rokujo Lady. At first sight, in the painting we notice Rukoju Lady in her deep anguish as if she is mourning. And mourning she is over her afflicted soul, and also over the deaths of the innocent women who became the victim of her tormented soul.  The fine contrast of black and red color on the background depicts her inner turmoil, rage and above all jealousy. The scattered colors on the right side creates the image of her once reputed, happy and honorable life which is nothing but a distant dream now. Rising from these scattered color is Rokujo herself in a black and grey robe. The bland color outer robe is partially hiding the blood red that she is wearing. The red robe symbolizes her deep resentment towards Genji’s indiffrent behavior, and aggression towards other women who have his attention. The blood red robe also depicts the fire within herself in which she is burning. This fire is the aftermath of all the disgrace and jealousy that she experienced after accepting Genji in her life. As a result of all these torture, her soul rises in an anguished cry which is represented on the left side of the painting in white color. Here, her soul has been portrayed as an wounded animal, in order to emphasize its torment. Also, the red backdrop against white symbolizes the deaths that her soul causes in its agony. However, the most capturing part of the image is Rokujo’s posture. Her bend down poise specifies her defeated stance in life. It also depicts how she is not in control of her life anymore. Instead, she is being controlled by her injured soul which is an aftermath of her bruised heart and pride. Overall, this painting represents Rokujo Lady’s personal hell in which she is being tortured.