54 pages • 1 hour read
The Pillow Book
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Key Figures
Sei Shonagon
Sei Shonagon, author of The Pillow Book, lived between approximately 966 and 1017 in a city that is now Kyoto, Japan. She was a gentlewoman at court, serving the Empress Teishi, and she uses a “pillow book” the Empress has given her “to write about the things that delight, or that people find impressive” (255). Her text outlines her sense of fashion, her deep connection to nature, her thoughts on love and romance in medieval Japan, and her passion for the written and spoken word.
The short chapters Shonagon writes bear no identifiable pattern. On some days, she simply notes the proper colors for parts of garments. On others, she tells stories of countryside adventures or of interactions with charismatic men in the court. In rare moments, Shonagon considers the ethics of her gossiping habit, the morality of her clear preference for those of upper classes, and her attraction to handsome priests.
As a poet, Shonagon puts great stock in the emotions of those who receive and read her written work. Her relationship with the Empress, whom she serves, is grounded in the art of poetry; she is ashamed when she sends messages that invite mockery for their simplicity or emotion. This female-female relationship is more pronounced and central to her stories about herself than any relationship with a male, though she has multiple relationships of varying kinds with Norimitsu, Tadanobu, and Yukinari. It is unclear what level of intimacy she achieves with any of these men, for while amorous trysts are the frequent subject of her writing, she hesitates to place herself in the position of a lover.
The Empress
The Empress, whom Shonagon also occasionally calls “Her Majesty,” is an elegant woman and a lover of poetry. Shonagon is constantly in awe of the beauty of the Empress’s clothes and bearing; beyond her physical attributes, the Empress’s life is curated in a way to make a deep, marvelous impression on those who look at her. When she first arrives at court, Shonagon marvels “that there must surely be nothing more wonderful” than the Empress’s skill in speaking with courtiers (170). Indeed, her way with words is almost pedagogical; she pushes Shonagon to be more articulate and to write better poetry.
Yet the Empress also benefits from Shonagon’s presence. When the gentlewoman leaves court, the Empress writes her a loving note expressing her sadness without Shonagon there. When Shonagon, on a reserved evening, explains that she is “simply immersing [herself] in the spirit of the moonlight,” the Empress praises her poetic sense for the world around her (104). The Empress clearly enjoys the company of those who can match her clever use of language and art, and she cultivates beautiful spaces in order to bring more artistry into her court.
The Emperor
Because men and women are largely separated in Shonagon’s world, the Emperor is often a distant figure. Messengers speak of his sense of humor and his interest in the poems and messages that women send, particularly those that women like Shonagon send to his courtiers. Occasionally, Shonagon and other gentlewomen meet the Emperor when he visits the Empress. Because he hears of Shonagon’s skills both through his own wife and through men like Yukinari, the Emperor recognizes, respects, and jokes with Shonagon when he interacts with her.
This intimacy does not detract from the level of admiration Shonagon feels for the Emperor. In fact, in equal measure to her admiring descriptions of the Empress, she also describes the Emperor’s marvelous clothing. He is part of the ordering of society, enabling the promotions that create the most excitement in court. He also leads the spectacle that drives so much of Shonagon’s excitement beyond the world of nature and within the world of man-made things.
Yukinari
Yukinari is a Major Controller who trusts Shonagon alone to deliver messages to Her Majesty the Empress. Despite their long relationship, Yukinari has never seen Shonagon—until he finally spies on her one day through a window opening. After they speak, “he [lifts] the blind and, well, it would seem that in he came […]” (51). This intimate scene is one of the only moments Shonagon suggests that a male visitor may have joined her in her quarters. Shonagon and Yukinari share similar interests in poetry. One of their intimate notes, full of innuendo, is intercepted by a bishop, who does not approve. But Yukinari and Shonagon’s relationship remains strong, and they continue to enjoy the exchange of such notes. Both parties are satisfied by the witty messages the other sends, and Yukinari often shares Shonagon’s witticisms with the Emperor.
Tadanobu
Tadanobu is a Captain with whom Shonagon has a close relationship. After sending urgent messages one evening, he arrives looking “magnificent” in “a gorgeous damask cloak” (70). Though he is not often mentioned in the tale, his attractive features and charismatic conversation make him a sought-after guest. The two have a long visit, one evening, which earns Shonagon the admiration of several others around her.
Norimitsu
Shonagon’s close relationship with a man named Norimitsu, whom she knows from her hometown, falls apart. Shonagon, with her developing passion for the art of poetry, insists on writing her messages to him in poem form. Writing these poems is a way to signal to him that she wants “to break off relations,” he says (74). Later, Shonagon and Yukinari mock Norimitsu for his distinct dislike of poetry.
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