Yukio Mishima's "Patriotism"

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses Yukio Mishima's short story entitled, "Patriotism," and the contrast between traditional morality and modernity in pre-World War II Japan. The paper gives a history of the Japanese feudal code and describes how traditions and the concept of honor were integrated into the militaristic government of Japan. Historical context is given to Mishima's story, and the February 26th Incident for which the story uses as its catalyst is described in great detail. The second half of the paper deals with the story itself, giving examples and quotes from the short story to prove the point that Reiko and her husband did not kill themselves due to their passionate love for one another, but instead, were forced to do so because the traditions of ancient Japan and the practices of the modern military system forced them into a situation where suicide would be the only honorable way for them to die. The paper proves the point that Mishima was attempting to demonstrate, that even a love so deep and strong as the one that Reiko and her husband shared could not flourish in the close-minded and backwards-thinking world of Japan in the early-to-mid 20th century.

From the Paper:

"Takeyama chooses suicide because he knows that he cannot kill his close friends who began the uprising against the Emperor, but consequently he cannot live with himself if he disobeys his Emperor. This represents a loyalty to not just Emperor Hirohito, but also to the code of honor that the military system in Japan established in each soldier. The only honorable thing for Takeyama to do, knowing that he'll be disobeying an order from God essentially, is to kill himself and respectably declare his allegiance to the Japanese Empire in his farewell note. This strict system of ethics and morality is what has pigeonholed Reiko into making her choice to follow her husband, and Takeyama also understands that if Reiko were left alive, the shame and pressure put on her by Japanese society would be unbearable. He sees her killing herself not as just an act of dedication towards him, but as a way to free her of the burdens that would undeniably follow her if she were to live on as the widowed wife of a traitor."

More papers on Yukio Mishima's "Patriotism":

• Analytical Essay # 136160 : "Yukio Mishima's "Patriotism"
• Analytical Essay # 128047 : "Yukio Mishima's "Patriotism" and Materialism"
• Poem Review # 73721 : "World Literature: Asia"

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