Yukio Mishima

Sun and Steel

16:59 min

Philosophy & Ideology, Classics

108 pages, 1968

In "Sun and Steel," Yukio Mishima crafts a unique literary form, combining memoir, philosophy, and artistic reflection. This short follows a bookish youth's discovery of physical prowess, symbolized by sun and steel. Mishima examines the connection between action and art, linking his personal quest for identity with broader questions of existence. While deeply personal, the short reaches for universal truths, offering new perspectives on personal growth, heroism, and authenticity in a world that often separates thought from action. It challenges us to reconsider self-cultivation and embrace a holistic view of existence. Significant in Japanese literature, Mishima's philosophical work blends traditional values with modern existential concerns, reflecting themes of Zen Buddhism and samurai ethics while addressing post-war Japanese identity issues.

Yukio Mishima

Yukio Mishima was a renowned Japanese author, playwright, actor, and martial artist who lived from 1925 to 1970. He is considered one of the most significant Japanese writers of the 20th century, known for his novels that combine modern and traditional Japanese aesthetics with examinations of sexuality, death, and radical politics. Mishima practiced and wrote about traditional Japanese values and bushido (the samurai code), which he pursued through intense physical training and martial arts, themes he explores in "Sun and Steel." His life and work, ending with his dramatic ritual suicide by seppuku, expressed his philosophy of uniting the pen and sword, making him a controversial yet influential figure in Japanese literature and culture.

Chapters

The body is a garden to be cultivated, not a predetermined fate. Physical development influences thought, bridging the gap between pure experience and spiritual maturity.

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