Mishima

[JBI]

I'm currently reading texts by Mishima - just finished The Sound of Waves and am now quickly pushing through Spring Snow - has anybody read his works? Is anybody interested in getting a discussion going?

[Ghuyuran]

I heard about him before and I'm interested in reading some of his works. The man is very remarkable. He thought (and I personally adhere to that way of living) that one should not forget to push both body and mind to their potential. One should not simply concentrate on one area, but on many. In Quebec, Canada, there was that popular singer many years back that got introduced to japanese literature and cinema with Mishima. Fortin was depressed, however, and killed himself by way of hara-kiri, in the manner of Mishima and some suppose because of the failed referendum. A shame, because the man was important on the cultural scene. The context behind the death of that singer is too large to discuss here, but let's just say Mishima happen to have shaped the life of quite a number of people, even outside of his country.

I'm curious about him and would be happy to hear what people here has to say about him and his works. I know he wrote abundantly.

[glover7]

I've read all of Mishima's works except for the Spring Snow tetralogy. I'm saving that for when I have time to read all of them at once. I personally used to think he was brilliant, and he was going to be my focused study in post-grad research, but my work has taken a big turn from its original path. Anything in particular you'd like to discuss?

[sixsmith]

I've read 'The Sailor who fell from grace with the Sea' and 'Acts of Worship.' I also recently read 'Mishima's Sword' but a guy called Christopher Ross. Sort of part biography, part travelogue, part sandbox philosophy. Like Glover, i'm keen to read the Spring Snow tetralogy.

[Etienne]

Well I'd be interested in reading him finally. He's just another who's been waiting in line for too long, that might be a good reason to finally do it (and get him in front of Soseki), and just as I was doing some catching up in local literature...

[Hidden Leaves]

I really like 'The Temple of the Golden Pavilion'; it's a good character study of a young man with unattainable ideals of beauty that encroach on his everyday life and sanity.

Here's a link to a short film that Mishima created in 1966 called 'Yûkoku':

http://www.ubu.com/film/mishima_rite.html

It's a disturbing foreshadowing of his own grisly death by harakiri in 1970.

[crystalmoonshin]

I've read "Thirst for Love". Somewhat dark novel with weird characters having twisted ideas on what love is about, but a great read nevertheless.

[Pecksie]

"The sailor who fell from grace with the sea" is wonderful --- macabre and exquisite. You can feel the darkness falling on the doomed sailor, Ryuji, almost physically. I also read some short stories of Mishima's. He's definitely worth your time.

[glover7]

Ha, I forgot about this topic, but I recently finished Spring Snow. It was much lighter on personal philosophy than Forbidden Colors. I enjoyed it. Now I have to get started on Runaway Horses.

[Sebas. Melmoth]

I've been a Mishima fan for thirty years, and read his complete works (sometimes repeatedly).

Right now I'm re-reading Runaway Horses for the first time in many years.

I'm enjoying it; it's classic Mishima with it's conflicted Modernism and love of traditional Japanese culture.

Yes, he wrote some good short stories.

Also very interesting are his Five Modern Noh Plays and also his play Madame de Sade.

Of his novels my favourites include of course Spring Snow and The Sound of Waves.

Any takers?