Yukio Mishima Patriotism
In today’s society, men have always been recognized for their heroic acts of giving up their lives in honor to their country. However, in seeing death as an honorable act, one must understand patriotism and pride. In the story Patriotism by Yukio Mishima, Lieutenant Shinji Takeyama and his wife Reiko are Newlyweds and happily married. On the day of their honeymoon, the Lieutenant having his sword laid beside him, tested Reiko’s his wife, to see if she too would die with him at the time he was to die. Reiko then without a word takes out her dagger and puts it before her, just as her husband had laid his sword. By that, her husband knew that she was willing and ready to die with him. As the months went by, Lieutenant Shinji was given orders to
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In Patriotism, Mishima gives his characters tone in order for them to be able to express their thoughts and feelings towards imperial forces. As the story goes, Lieutenant Shinji discovers that his closest colleagues have gone against the imperial forces by attacking. He then has to decide whether to kill his friends, whom were his colleagues, or go against the imperial forces. Lieutenant Shinji quotes, “ Tonight, I shall cut my stomach” (18 Mishima) With the sound of his tone, this shows the readers that Shinji’s tone was very strong and clears that the decision he was about to make is irrevocable due to the fact that he rather die in honor of his Imperial Forces. Through his tone he also expresses his loyalty towards his imperial forces and his friends. As the story goes on, and after making love with his wife Reiko one last time; Lieutenant Shinji’s quotes, “‘Well, let’s make our preparation’ …the note of determination in the words was unmistakable, but at the same time Reiko had never heard her husband’s voice so tender” (36 Mishima). Through his tone, Shinji shows excitement in getting his preparations ready along with his wife as if they were getting things ready for a party. This also shows that throughout the story, Lieutenant Shinji’s tone, as time gets closer to his suicide, he sounds even happier in knowing that not only will his wife accompany him to the afterlife, but he will be dying in honor and loyalty to his
In Patriotism, Mishima gives his characters tone in order for them to be able to express their thoughts and feelings towards imperial forces. As the story goes, Lieutenant Shinji discovers that his closest colleagues have gone against the imperial forces by attacking. He then has to decide whether to kill his friends, whom were his colleagues, or go against the imperial forces. Lieutenant Shinji quotes, “ Tonight, I shall cut my stomach” (18 Mishima) With the sound of his tone, this shows the readers that Shinji’s tone was very strong and clears that the decision he was about to make is irrevocable due to the fact that he rather die in honor of his Imperial Forces. Through his tone he also expresses his loyalty towards his imperial forces and his friends. As the story goes on, and after making love with his wife Reiko one last time; Lieutenant Shinji’s quotes, “‘Well, let’s make our preparation’ …the note of determination in the words was unmistakable, but at the same time Reiko had never heard her husband’s voice so tender” (36 Mishima). Through his tone, Shinji shows excitement in getting his preparations ready along with his wife as if they were getting things ready for a party. This also shows that throughout the story, Lieutenant Shinji’s tone, as time gets closer to his suicide, he sounds even happier in knowing that not only will his wife accompany him to the afterlife, but he will be dying in honor and loyalty to his