The Tale of the Heike is a Japanese epic poem chronicling the rise and eventual and inevitable fall of the Taira clan, also called the Heike, in the late 12th century. The epic consists of thirteen books. In the first five, the consolidation of power by the Taira is described with the "tyrant" Taira no Kiyomori. After Kiyomori's death in the sixth book, the focus shifts to the rival clan, the Minamoto or Genji, as they orchestrate the complete destruction of the Taira and establish themselves as the dominant house. By contextualizing the importance of this work, Heike is considered a “founding masterpiece of Japanese culture” on the level of The Tale of Genji. Since the epic has always been interpreted and read, the physical structure of the passages can vary greatly. . Royall Tyler, the translator, chose to incorporate three formats into the text, those of speech, recitative and song. The aim is to reflect how the text would have been presented in a performance context. The formats are analogous to "spoken dialogue, recitative and aria of an oratorio or opera". This manifests itself in prose justified against the right margin, “very irregular lines that begin at the left margin,” and verse, respectively. By examining the plot structure of the poem, a distinctive pattern emerges. The story is frequently interrupted by anecdotes directly or indirectly linked to current events. This often takes the form of recounting historical precedents in order to contextualize a character's actions or, if precedent is lacking, perhaps to note a departure from tradition. For example, when Kiyomori decides to move the capital to Fukuhara, the choice between "calming influence and good judgment." The text presents him as a model example of a filial son, even if his father does not present the equivalent and admirable attributes in return. While Kiyomori may not be a model senior in his relationship with Shigemori, he clearly values ​​his son's advice and holds him in high regard even if he doesn't always follow his advice perfectly. When restless spirits attempt to stop Kiyomori's daughter, Kenreimon-in, after having a son while pregnant, Kiyomori becomes involved, resolving to "appease the living and the dead". The text seems to approve of this action since it is stated that "the angry dead inspire fear", and a number of anecdotes are mentioned concerning the harmful interference of ghosts. However, Kiyomori's efforts seem insufficient as Shigemori is called in to advise him on what action to take...