by axxxm
Tanizaki and Lust
21/December/2022 in Tokyo
Wednesday morning
"Lust and Literature"
So far I often mentioned Mishima here, so that I always missed an opportunity to touch another writer, Tanizaki
Tanizaki, his full name is Junichiro Tanizaki/谷崎潤一郎
Will write a bit about him
There are 3 writers who have been famous and considered "a classical writer" who writes about Japan's beauty
Mishima, Kawabata and Tanizaki
The most famous one is Mishima, because there are many things about him that spark our interests, not only in his works but more of in his life, precisely his death, which seems too dramatic
Probably the 2nd well-known one is Kawabata, because he was the first Japanese writer who received the Nobel Prize in Literature
And Tanizaki...
He didn't receive such a world-class prize, though nominated several times
His life wasn't as dramatic as Mishima's
In this way, Tanizaki would be the first one who'll be gradually forgotten from our memory
"Lust"
There's nothing more appropriate than "lust" in order to characterise Tanizaki's work and also entire life
Lust, sexuality, desire, sensuality, drive, craving, yearning, thirst, appetite, passion, enthusiasm...
Lust is a fundamental energy for animals, including us. This is what pushes us
Tanizaki was very honest with this lust and, throughout his life, he kept writing about it
And as this implies, his books always give off quite strong optimism and cheerful vibe
Comparing Mishima, the difference becomes even clearer
Mishima was rejecting his life
And this rejection was the main drive for his writing
On the other hand, Tanizaki enjoyed what his life had to offer to the fullest
And as if it's proved, Tanizaki was the only one who died of old age, in 1965
Mishima and Kawabata, both committed suicide, in 1970 & 1972
Even their sentences are different
In Mishima's & kawabata's sentences, there is always something unhealthy, something morbid, something sinister
On the other hand, Tanizaki's writing always embraces a certain lightness and brightness
A person who is very open with himself/herself looks cheerful
A person who is very honest with himself/herself looks positive
A person who is true to himself/herself looks innocent
They don't care of what others think
They are too busy, and too innocent, with pursuing their own ideals
To me, Tanizaki is literary a Hentai pervert writer
Openly pervert
Openly Hentai
inside his works
From a young age to the end of his life, Tanizaki kept chasing his ideal woman,
kept admiring women's foots (because this is his fetish),
kept staying cheerful,
and kept writing about enjoyment and satisfactions that life brings to us
