The Tale of Genji (源氏物語, Genji Monogatari) is a classic work of Japanese literature said to have been written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu around the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century. It is the first novel written by a woman to have won global recognition. In Japan, The Tale of Genji has a stature similar to that of Shakespeare in the UK. The work is a depiction of the lifestyles of high courtiers during the Heian period.