Oborozukiyo Character Analysis

Oborozukiyo is one of Kokiden's younger sisters. Genji meets her after a party one night; he discovers her door open, rapes her, and tells her that it's useless to fight him as he always gets his way. She maintains a degree of power by initially keeping her name from Genji; he refers to her in the novel as “the lady of the misty moon” because of the imagery on a fan she gives him. At a party several weeks later, however, the two reconnect and Genji learns who she really is. The two conduct a relationship off and on, though it doesn't turn into a problem until Kokiden raises Oborozukiyo's rank and brings her to court for Suzaku, who is by this point emperor. After this, the Minister of the Right discovers Oborozukiyo and Genji in bed together, and this leads to Genji's exile. Though Oborozukiyo and Genji exchange notes throughout the exile, it's implied that she doesn't allow their sexual relationship to resume when he returns. However, she does remain fixated on Genji; Suzaku comments on this and reminds her that if she's to have a child with Genji, the baby would be a commoner and therefore, would give Oborozukiyo herself less political capital.