The theme of the descent in the Tale of Genji and the Ramayana

This is a comparative study between "The Tale of Genji" and "The Ramayana" which are masterpieces of Japanese and Indian literature, in the theme of the descent of the heroes, Genji and Rama. There are two types of 'descent': one is the external descent which is exile, and the other is the internal descent which is lament. The latter seems to be more important and more profound in the meaning, especially from the Japanese viewpoint. In terms of the theme of the work, the Wakana chapter of "The Tale of Genji" is one of the most important chapters because of its consensus of meaning and interpretation. Although the comparative study between Japanese and Indian literature is very rare, except for Buddistic studies, I would like to make an attempt to search for a new possibility in the study field of literature by starting to examine the heroic powers of Genji and Rama,Arts, Faculty ofAsian Studies, Department ofGraduat