Yukio Mishima’s unique writing style and its charm
In Japanese literature, there are writers known for their unique writing style and deep philosophy. His name is Yukio Mishima. His works have captivated many readers with their aesthetic value and meticulous construction.
First, one of the characteristics of Yukio Mishima’s writing style is his obsession with “beauty.” By delicately portraying the beauty of nature and the human spirit, he inspired his readers with beauty. For example, his masterpiece “Confessions of a Mask” skillfully expresses the delicate feelings of a beautiful boy. This commitment to beauty became the driving force for him to create his own unique aesthetic while following the traditions of Japanese literature.
Next, one of the characteristics of Mishima’s writing style is “dialogue.” In many of his works, dialogue between characters plays an important role. Through these conversations, the conflicts and desires that lie deep within the human heart come to light, adding to the depth of the story. He also created a unique rhythm in the words of his characters, giving them a pleasant resonance to the readers and enhancing the charm of his works.
Furthermore, Yukio Mishima’s writing style is full of “symbols.” In his works, various symbols are used to express the background of the story and the feelings of the characters. For example, in “Sound of the Sea”, the sea is linked to the fluctuations of the human heart and the mysteries of nature, giving the story a deep symbolism. These symbolic expressions emphasized the unique worldview of his works and had the power to draw readers in.
A characteristic of Mishima’s writing style is a sense of tension. Mishima’s works draw the reader into the world of the story through their precise composition and tense brushstrokes. His writing is detailed in its depictions of scenes and psychology, and always maintains a sense of tension. This allows the reader to strongly empathize with the events and changes in relationships that occur in the story, and to hold their breath as they learn about the fate of the characters. For example, in “Kinkakuji,” the gradual escalation of the protagonist’s madness is skillfully depicted, leaving the reader overwhelmed with the sense of urgency.
In this way, Yukio Mishima’s writing style is composed of a commitment to “beauty,” “dialogue,” “symbols,” and “tension.” The combination of these elements gives his works a unique charm that has captured the hearts of many readers.
Yukio Mishima’s literature presents a unique worldview that combines Japanese literary tradition and modernity, and his detailed and beautiful writing style continues to influence many people today. Through his works, we can think about the depth of the human heart and the search for beauty. And it has the power to face our inner selves and enrich our lives.
In addition, Yukio Mishima’s literature can bring a new sense of “beauty” to today’s young people. Modern society is an age where diverse values coexist and we are overflowing with information. In this environment, young people tend to lose sight of their own sense of beauty. Through Mishima’s works, they are able to reaffirm the importance of exploring beauty and self-expression, and are inspired to find their own beauty.
Yukio Mishima’s works have the power to make us think about the nature of communication in modern society. “Dialogue” plays an important role in his works, and is depicted as a means of revealing the inner conflicts and desires of the characters. In modern times, the Internet and SNS dominate people’s communication, and face-to-face conversations are becoming rarer. Through his works, we can reconsider the importance of dialogue between humans and the exchange of hearts.
Furthermore, Yukio Mishima’s symbolic expressions give modern readers the space to seek their own interpretations. Symbols in his works are used to express the background of the story and the feelings of the characters, and can be interpreted in a variety of ways. This allows modern readers to interpret the work based on their own perspectives and sensibilities, allowing them to deepen the dialogue between Mishima’s worldview and modern society. The universality of these works encourages readers to find new meaning and value through their own life experiences and sensibilities.
Additionally, Yukio Mishima’s tense writing style provides modern readers with an opportunity to empathize with his work. The tense brush strokes in his works can realistically convey the emotional movements of the characters and the development of the story. In modern society, people are often exposed to stress and anxiety, and they need a place to release their emotions. By reading Mishima’s works, readers can share their emotions, gain empathy, and find peace of mind.
Yukio Mishima’s literature gives modern readers the opportunity to think about the inner lives of humans and the conflicts of the heart. His works depict the various emotions and desires that lie deep within the human heart, and require readers to face themselves. Introspective works like this play a role in promoting self-understanding and self-growth in modern society, contributing to people’s spiritual enrichment.
Overall, Yukio Mishima’s writing style is composed of a focus on “beauty,” “dialogue,” “symbols,” and “tension,” and continues to have a great deal of influence in modern society. His works encourage readers to explore beauty, the state of communication, unique interpretations, empathy, and understanding of the inner human being, and can have universal value even in modern society. Yukio Mishima’s literature will continue to influence many people through his unique style and deep philosophy.
About “Spring Snow”
This work, released in 1966, is considered the first part of the quartet “The Sea of Fertility,” and is considered one of Mishima’s masterpieces in his later years.
The story is set in Japan in the early Showa era, and depicts the tragic love between the main character, Kiyoaki Matsueda, the son of the Marquis Matsueda family, and his lover, Satoko, the daughter of the Sasaki family. The story deeply delves into the suffering and intense love between these two families, who are at the mercy of social constraints such as family status, tradition, and respectability.
Additionally, “Spring Snow” is characterized by its beautiful depictions and gorgeous writing style, and Mishima’s detailed psychological depictions and unique worldview stand out. This novel reflects Japan’s modernization, and the historical background where tradition and modernity intersect, through stories of pure love, tragedy, and young people at the mercy of fate.
The “Sea of Fertility” tetralogy is organized in the following order:
Spring Snow (1966)
Touma (1968)
Patriotic (1969)
Five Decay of Tenjin (1970)
This four-part series explores the inner world of individuals and the state of the Japanese spirit, set against the backdrop of a transition period in which modern Western civilization and traditional Japanese culture collide. Through this four-part series, Yukio Mishima attempts to confront Japan’s identity.
Exchange with Yasunari Kawabata
Yukio Mishima and Yasunari Kawabata are both known around the world as masters of Japanese literature, and their interactions have also become an interesting topic.
Yukio Mishima was a person who respected Yasunari Kawabata and was greatly influenced by Kawabata’s works. In particular, Kawabata’s novel “The Dancer of Izu” is the work that inspired Mishima to pursue a career as a novelist. On the other hand, Mishima was conscious of his role as Kawabata’s successor, and pursued a unique style in his own works that was different from Kawabata’s literature.
Regarding communication, although the two did not have much direct acquaintance and did not have a close relationship, it is known that they had mutual respect. In particular, when Kawabata won the Nobel Prize for Literature, Mishima sent him a letter of congratulations. It has also been revealed that Kawabata also highly praised Mishima’s work and had voted for him as a member of the literary award selection committee before he committed suicide.
However, there were differences in their literary positions and values, and there were some areas where the two did not fully understand each other. The difference was clear, as Kawabata focused on beauty and sensibility, while Mishima was also interested in politics, history, and existentialist themes.
Overall, it can be said that although Yukio Mishima and Yasunari Kawabata respected each other, they distanced themselves from each other due to their different literary positions and values. Still, their interaction remains one of the most interesting episodes in the history of Japanese literature.
Mishima’s aesthetic sense spans a wide range of areas, including dialogue between tradition and modernity, conflicts between individuals and society, and themes of beauty and death.
First of all, the source of his aesthetic sense is his deep love for and reappraisal of traditional Japanese culture. Mishima had a deep knowledge of Japanese classical literature and traditional performing arts, including Bushido, tea ceremony, Nohgaku, and Kabuki. He sought to find new meaning in these works by connecting them with contemporary literature and thought, rather than simply relics of the past. This leads to the formation of historical elements and traditional aesthetics in his works.
Secondly, Mishima’s aesthetic sense is expressed through his works that depict the conflict between the individual and society. In works such as The Temple of the Golden Pavilion'' andThe Confession of the Mask,” he focused on the contradictions between individual desire and social norms, and between tradition and modernity. His aesthetic sense is shaped by philosophical questions about what beauty is and how we should live. Mishima provides deep insight into the essence of beauty through the conflict between personal aesthetic sensibilities and social values.
The themes of beauty and death also play a part in Yukio Mishima’s aesthetic sense. Through his “Sea of Fertility” project, which revolves around his own final days, he attempted to fuse death and beauty. For him, death was not just an end, but also the ultimate artistic expression and a yearning for the eternity of beauty. This connection between death and beauty symbolizes the deep philosophical exploration of his aesthetic sense.
Finally, Yukio Mishima’s aesthetic sense pursues harmony with words and expression methods throughout his creative activities. Through his unique writing style and passionate choice of words, he provided readers with an aesthetic feast. His works are not just stories, but embody a unique aesthetic in which words themselves are instruments of beauty.
Overall, Yukio Mishima’s aesthetic sense is multifaceted and profound, and is the foundation that underpins his work and life. His aesthetic sense intertwines conflicting concepts such as tradition and modernity, individual and society, death and beauty, and presents new perspectives. Its influence is deeply rooted not only in literature but also in the understanding of Japanese aesthetics and thought.