Yukio Mishima, the Unambiguous, and Myself: Living through a Writer’s Legacy*

Larry Johnson

doi:10.4236/als.2013.14012

Abstract

The recent release by Criterion on DVD of Paul Schrader’s film Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters(1985) and Mishima’s own film Patriotism(1965) has caused the author of this essay to reconsider his relationship with the late Japanese writers’ books and literary legacy. Believing that these fine films’ presence on DVD will stimulate much renewed discussion of Mishima both in the US and Japan, the author recalls his first discovery of Mishima’s existence shortly after his famous suicide in 1970, reading and responding to his literary output, and prodding famous authors such as Tennessee Williams and Cormac McCarthy for their thoughts on Mishima’s influence. The author’s two poems about Mishima are included to illustrate his changing inner perceptions of the internationally famous writer and the (now-fading) adverse reaction to his work in Japan caused by his politics and his virtually public suicide.

Highlights

Many readers probably remember that Yukio Mishima (19251970) was the most popular Japanese writer of his day, that he carried out extraliterary pranks which gave him constant media attention, directed his own art film and starred in commercial movies, wrote as his final work an important tetralogy of novels (The Sea of Fertility, Hojo no umi, 1965-1970), and, most famously, killed himself by committing seppuku
She had read none of his books but she could understand the film’s dialogue, and whereas Mishima’s acting looked halfway decent to me, she agreed with critics of the time in thinking it “bland.” Mishima’s Patriotism is silent, so this is not a problem there
I had never heard of Mishima until after his death, so what should make me become interested in his work and life to the point that I’ve read, studied, and taught his works, written two poems about him, and seek to entertain or enlighten an audience concerning my personal relationship with the legacy of this dead author and cultural icon?

Summary

Introduction

Many readers probably remember that Yukio Mishima (19251970) was the most popular Japanese writer of his day, that he carried out extraliterary pranks which gave him constant media attention, directed his own art film and starred in commercial movies, wrote as his final work an important tetralogy of novels (The Sea of Fertility, Hojo no umi, 1965-1970), and, most famously, killed himself by committing seppuku (ritual suicide). I had never heard of Mishima until after his death, so what should make me become interested in his work and life to the point that I’ve read, studied, and taught his works, written two poems about him, and seek to entertain or enlighten an audience concerning my personal relationship with the legacy of this dead author and cultural icon?

Results

Conclusion