Yukio Mishima Today(Memo)

命売ります (ちくま文庫)

命売ります (ちくま文庫)

殉教 (新潮文庫)

殉教 (新潮文庫)


Eric Margolis “The Resurgence of a Japanese Literary Master” Metropolis Summer, pp.32-33, 2020


2020年は三島由紀夫の50回忌に当たったが*1、最近、三島の『命売りますLife for Sale)』、『美しい星』*2、『スタア』が初めて英訳され、「極右」とか「武士道」とか「大文字の文学」といった、これまで三島が醸し出してきたイメージが相対化されているという。『命売ります』はコミカルなエンタメ小説*3。『美しい星』はSF。中篇小説『スタア』はMargolis氏によれば、”another work that balances humor against Mishima`s classic darker themes”である(p.32)。また、英訳者のSam Bert氏は『スタア』の「クィア性」を強調している――”There are modes of queerness in “Star” that fit into the larger discussion of how his work explores gender relationships and sexuality”(p.33)
また、三島の極右思想と現代世界について;


With the resurgence of right-wing nationalism in the U.S., UK and around the world, Mishima`s problematic politics cannot be ignored. Michael Bourdaghs, a professor of Japanese literature at the University of Chicago researching Mishima*4, said that his goal with his suicide was to produce a spectacle for its own sake. “The point is the disonance that you can stir up by speaking [outrageous things] alouds,” Bourdaghs comments. “I think Mishima would have Donald Trump well.”
Bourdaghs also points out that Mishima`s radicalism was more of a product of the Cold War-era revolutionay political struggles than Japanese pre-war fascism. “Mishima and his peers were very aware of what was going on in places like Vietnam, Algeria and other decolonizing nations, as well as in American inner cities and European canmpuses.” Mishima famously engaged with the student protests at the Universty of Tolyo, part of indicative “new left” movement that opposed against American imperialism, Russian Stalinism and Japanese monopoly capitalism. (ibid.)
三島と村上春樹について;

“I compare him with Murakami Haruki,” says Dodd*5. While Murakami is an extremely important writer whose works have touched the hearts of millions, I found his works to be repetive. Mishima always surprises. “ (ibid.)

*1:See https://sumita-m.hatenadiary.com/entry/2020/11/12/101259

*2:Mentioned in https://sumita-m.hatenadiary.com/entry/20130316/1363405417

*3:Margolis氏は”pulp novel”という言い方をしている(p.32)。

*4:https://www.bourdaghs.com/ https://twitter.com/sayonaraamerika

*5:Stephen Dodds. 『命売ります』の英訳者。