The First Novel...

[Aurora Ariel]

I've read this a few times in a history book I've got, but have never come across this text myself.Has anyone actually read the first novel ever written?
The date is 1010:The Tale of Genji by Shikibu Murasaki, lady-in-waiting to the empress of Japan, may be the world's first novel.It tells of Prince Genji's life and loves and has an underlying Buddhist philosophy.

[Satine]

I have not read this, nor have I heard of it. Only thing I've ever read with ANY type of Bhuddist philosophy was Siddartha, and that was for my college Eastern Religion class. Actually enjoyed it to a degree but still isn't quite my cup of tea. Thanks for sharing, though...I had no idea!

[Koa]

Well it depends on how you define novel I guess...

I remember at school the definition of first novel was given to Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, 1817 if I'm not wrong... But maybe it means modern novel or novel in the 'Western' sense...

This makes a big difference with what Aurora Ariel quotes as first novel, especially in terms of time... It would be nice to know what are the reasons that bring critics to say that's the first novel or why I've always heard about Robinson Crusoe instead...

[mono]

Very interesting.
I have heard of the novel, but I never knew it as the possible first novel ever written. I wonder if it, too, first carried through oral traditions, until the writer copied down the story and published it.
Thanks, Aurora, I will have to look around for that. ;)

[ArcherSnake]

I have read some of it, and it's not bad. The entire thing is an EXTREMELY long text, so if you see it, you usually just see the first part.

The Tale Of Genji is the first novel ever written, as far as I know. I believe it was written in the 2nd century in Japan. They usually give the distinction of the first MODERN novel ever written to Don Quixote.