“After the late modern period, that is, after Romanticism, all art genres became awkward with each other, grew distant, and divorced.”
- January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970
- Born in Japan
- Novelist, playwright, critic, political activist
- He became a representative figure of postwar Japanese literature, and was highly acclaimed both at home and abroad. He pursued his own unique aesthetic with themes of beauty and death, and ultimately committed seppuku at a Self-Defense Forces garrison. His life, which combined literature with action, continues to have a strong influence today.
Japanese
「あらゆる芸術ジャンルは、近代後期、すなわち浪漫主義のあとでは、お互いに気まずくなり、別居し、離婚した」
English
“After the late modern period, that is, after Romanticism, all art genres became awkward with each other, grew distant, and divorced.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima reflects on the fragmentation of the arts following the Romantic period. He argues that, in the aftermath of Romanticism, various artistic genres began to lose their cohesion and separate from one another. The “awkwardness” between these genres points to the increasing specialization and individualism that defined the later stages of modernity. Mishima highlights the breakdown of the once integrated artistic forms, where, during the Romantic era, different artistic expressions—be it in music, literature, or visual arts—were often intertwined, sharing similar themes and emotions. However, as modernity progressed, these forms began to diverge from each other, resulting in an era of disconnection and isolation within the arts.
This observation aligns with Mishima’s broader critique of modernity and its effects on culture. The separation of artistic genres symbolizes his view of how modern life itself has become fragmented and disjointed, with individuals and cultures increasingly isolated from one another. Mishima often mourned the loss of unity and shared values that he saw as integral to a flourishing society, and he saw the divorce of artistic forms as a reflection of this larger cultural breakdown. In this context, the divorce between the arts in the modern period can be seen as a metaphor for societal alienation and the loss of harmony in human expression.
In a modern context, this quote speaks to the ongoing specialization and compartmentalization of artistic practices in contemporary culture. Today, music, art, film, literature, and other genres often exist in isolated spheres, with little crossover between them. This separation can be observed in the way the art world has become increasingly niche, with genres evolving into distinct subcultures that no longer share a common language or purpose. Mishima’s observation encourages reflection on whether this fragmentation of the arts leads to a loss of unity in our cultural expressions, or whether it represents a more complex and diverse artistic landscape.
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