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This thesis examines how the patriarchal authority works on Mishima Yukio’s (1925-1970) literary works. As we know, the specialty of Mishima’s literature is gay literature. Therefore, I will focus on novel, Confessions of a Mask(1949), to investigate how patriarchal authority persecutes gays and their family and friends. Also, I plan to research the plot to find out how patriarchal authority works in postwar period of Japan. Contrary to previous studies, I not only focus on Mishima’s mental condition, but also emphasize the relation between literature and society.
I draw on the concept from the book The Gender Knot- Unraveling Our Patriarchal Legacy(1997), written by Dr. Allen G Johnson, which details how patriarchy interferes with society and nation. Also, the concept from the book Woman Hater – Japan’s Misogyny(2010), written by Dr. Chizuko Ueno, which details how misogyny interferes with society and nation, is adopted to examine the target texts.In prologue and Chapter 1, I will explain my research motivation and introduce the life of Mishima Yikio and historical background of Confessions of a mask’s. In Chapter 2, I will focus on how the patriarchy works on protagonist’s childhood with the plot. In Chapter 3, will focus on protagonist’s puberty with the plot. The work is related to the topics of homosexuality. We can better understand how patriarchal authority persecutes lives of homosexuals.
I aim to deconstruct the sense of oppression radiating from Mishima’s literature through the thesis. I argue that his oppression relates to patriarchal system’s rapid expansion then in Japan. Whether from the behavior of ignoring his sexual orientation and getting married with a woman, from the behavior of chasing masculinity crazily, from the behavior of the seppuku at the end of his life, we can find out he is struggling with patriarchal authority all over his life. From novels, from plot, from behaviors, we could realize that he is the conspicuous example of the victim of patriarchal authority in postwar period of Japan. This thesis not only documents Mishima’s sexual dilemma, but also discuss how he resisted patriarchal authority and oppression.
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