Analysis of Patriotism Narration by Yukio Mishima - Essay Example

The main characters, Lieutenant Shinji and his wife Reiko, in this story, end up committing suicide to show their levels of patriotism. Although people in the recent age may not understand why individuals would kill themselves to show patriotism, in those days, it was part of the culture.

Death is normally feared, but during these days, it meant courage and love for one’s country, especially among the Japanese. The narrator displays the commitment of both husband and, wife though, none of them knows about the other. This is what creates suspense in the story because one does not know what is expected. The wife had taken an oath that when the husband dies, she would also kill herself. Killing yourself in the Japanese culture indicates love, and honor, and Shinji decided to do this for his country.

Despite their love for their country, they also loved each other extremely much. Each of them cannot live without the other. It is evident from the story that Shinji thinks of his wife while he is in the field, the same thing to his wife who cannot live without him. Their love for one another is displayed in the narration with the tone, imagery, and characters. The description is also widely used in the story for creating a picture in the mind of the reader. For example, “Reiko took a white silk kimono with her and entered the bathroom” and “the thick black brushstrokes (Mishima and Sergeant).

” After reading an image is created in the mind of the reader, and this makes the reading fascinating. Death to the lieutenant before the eyes of his wife was the most fulfilling thing and Shinji thought that he would die in peace and happiness. His wife made him realize the things that he loved most in his life that made him take his life. The wife watched his husband die in pain and could not help him because it was her duty to support him. She also killed herself afterward so that she could reunite with her husband and fulfills her mother’s wishes.

On reading this story one would conclude that they did not love each other, but regarding their age and culture, it was the best move to take. T By killing herself, she demonstrated her love for her husband, and although he was already dead, he knew that she would do that for her. Their last moments are ritualistically portrayed in a detailed manner which includes their lovemaking and death. The narrator of this story wraps actions for both the major characters. This creates a sense of accuracy and reliability in the narration. It utilizes literary techniques to correctly display the themes of patriotism, love, and suicide by using the Japanese way of life.