In addition to the severe criticism made by Murasaki Shikibu, the influence of medieval thought that the talented woman became unhappy was such that many anecdotes of Sei Shonagon's reduced circumstances were written in "Mumyozoshi" (Story Without a Name), "Kojidan" (Collection of Folk Literature), "Kokon Chomonju" (Collection of Folk Literature), etc., during the Kamakura period.
紫式部の酷評に加え、女の才はかえって不幸を招くという中世的な思想が影響し、鎌倉時代に書かれた『無名草子』『古事談』『古今著聞集』などには清少納言の落魄説話が満載された。