Balancing analyses of plot, character, and motif with insights into the cultural and political milieu of the late Heian period, this title calls for a re-evaluation of late Heian fiction. It examines 3 texts - 'The Tale of Sagoromo', 'The Tale of the Hamamatsu Middle Counselor', and 'Nezame at Night' - as heirs to the literary legacy of 'Genji'.