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ヴィヨンの妻 [Viyon No Tsuma]
新生への希望と、戦争を経験しても毫も変らぬ現実への絶望感との間を揺れ動きながら、命がけで新しい倫理を求めようとした晩年の文学的総決算ともいえる代表的短編集。家庭のエゴイズムを憎悪しつつ、新しい家庭への夢を文学へと完璧に昇華させた表題作、ほか「親友交歓」「トカトントン」「父」「母」「おさん」「家庭の幸福」「桜桃」、いずれも死の予感に彩られた作品である。
206 pages, Paperback
Published December 22, 1950
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About the author
Osamu Dazai
1,122 books9,454 followersOsamu DAZAI (native name: 太宰治, real name Shūji Tsushima) was a Japanese author who is considered one of the foremost fiction writers of 20th-century Japan. A number of his most popular works, such as Shayō (The Setting Sun) and Ningen Shikkaku (No Longer Human), are considered modern-day classics in Japan.
With a semi-autobiographical style and transparency into his personal life, Dazai’s stories have intrigued the minds of many readers. His books also bring about awareness to a number of important topics such as human nature, mental illness, social relationships, and postwar Japan.
With a semi-autobiographical style and transparency into his personal life, Dazai’s stories have intrigued the minds of many readers. His books also bring about awareness to a number of important topics such as human nature, mental illness, social relationships, and postwar Japan.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 19, 2011
Variations on the same theme--
J-Lit Binge #9: Villon's Wife and Other Stories
Basically, all the stories contained in this collection feature a drunken, decadent artist that keeps destroying his family in a Dostoevskian characters' way, feeling sorry for them and wanting to kill himself but not being able to do it.
The same theme is weaved into Dazai's last two novels: The Setting Sun and No Longer Human, and part of me was a little disappointed he was so obsessed with his own death and his own situation that he kept writing about the same theme.
But then there are gems that are nevertheless surprisingly good. My favorites are "Tokatonton" (the sound of a hammer hitting a nail), the title story, and to some extent "Mother." All the stories are told in simple prose that manages to draw you into Dazai's world of suicidal thoughts, depression, and nihilism. Yet some stories hint at some hope of salvation ("Tokatonton"), citing Matthew 10:28, and there's some humor in the turn of events ("Villon's Wife" and "Mother").
All in all, good stories playing variations of the same Dazaian theme.
J-Lit Binge #9: Villon's Wife and Other Stories
Basically, all the stories contained in this collection feature a drunken, decadent artist that keeps destroying his family in a Dostoevskian characters' way, feeling sorry for them and wanting to kill himself but not being able to do it.
The same theme is weaved into Dazai's last two novels: The Setting Sun and No Longer Human, and part of me was a little disappointed he was so obsessed with his own death and his own situation that he kept writing about the same theme.
But then there are gems that are nevertheless surprisingly good. My favorites are "Tokatonton" (the sound of a hammer hitting a nail), the title story, and to some extent "Mother." All the stories are told in simple prose that manages to draw you into Dazai's world of suicidal thoughts, depression, and nihilism. Yet some stories hint at some hope of salvation ("Tokatonton"), citing Matthew 10:28, and there's some humor in the turn of events ("Villon's Wife" and "Mother").
All in all, good stories playing variations of the same Dazaian theme.
September 5, 2007
戦後の昭和という時代背景や、家庭の様子がよくわかる。
ラジオを買うのに一苦労だったり、お酒が唯一の道楽だったり。
今の時代は本当に幸せなんだな…
ラジオを買うのに一苦労だったり、お酒が唯一の道楽だったり。
今の時代は本当に幸せなんだな…
June 30, 2024
The story begins with a wife who receives news that her husband has stolen money from a tavern. She goes to the tavern on behalf of her husband and remains there, saying that she will return the money. What follows was very impressive.
The wife goes to work at the tavern and spends her life oscillating between love and hate with her husband. I felt that the theme of the story was love and sin. The protagonist's wife struggles between love and distrust of her husband, but she still cannot abandon him. On the other hand, the husband struggles between love and guilt and cannot stop cheating on her.
What particularly impressed me was how the wife started working at an izakaya. She finds joy in life through her interactions with the izakaya couple and regular customers. I was impressed by how the wife, who thought her life was worthless, gradually became proud of her through her work at the izakaya and her interactions with customers.
This novel is one of Dazai Osamu's most famous works and depicts people living in the confusion and anxiety of the postwar period. However, he barely mentions postwar society or politics in his work. I believe that Dazai Osamu challenged the themes of love and sin, which can be seen in any era.
It is said that Dazai Osamu wrote this work after being impressed by the French poet Villon. It is said that he sympathized with Villon's poetry and overlapped it with his own life. In this way, this work may also contain elements of Dazai Osamu's autobiography.
Everyone, please give this work a try. I am sure you will be moved by the images of people fluctuating between love and sin.
The wife goes to work at the tavern and spends her life oscillating between love and hate with her husband. I felt that the theme of the story was love and sin. The protagonist's wife struggles between love and distrust of her husband, but she still cannot abandon him. On the other hand, the husband struggles between love and guilt and cannot stop cheating on her.
What particularly impressed me was how the wife started working at an izakaya. She finds joy in life through her interactions with the izakaya couple and regular customers. I was impressed by how the wife, who thought her life was worthless, gradually became proud of her through her work at the izakaya and her interactions with customers.
This novel is one of Dazai Osamu's most famous works and depicts people living in the confusion and anxiety of the postwar period. However, he barely mentions postwar society or politics in his work. I believe that Dazai Osamu challenged the themes of love and sin, which can be seen in any era.
It is said that Dazai Osamu wrote this work after being impressed by the French poet Villon. It is said that he sympathized with Villon's poetry and overlapped it with his own life. In this way, this work may also contain elements of Dazai Osamu's autobiography.
Everyone, please give this work a try. I am sure you will be moved by the images of people fluctuating between love and sin.
February 15, 2024
3.5
短編集の中でいろいろな物語あるけど、私が一番好きなのは最後の物語だ。あの物語は、太宰治の落ち込んだ考え方が表れていて、とてもinterestingと思う。
短編集の中でいろいろな物語あるけど、私が一番好きなのは最後の物語だ。あの物語は、太宰治の落ち込んだ考え方が表れていて、とてもinterestingと思う。
October 7, 2019
I'm only talking about Villon's Wife here since the version I read did not include the other short stories compiled in the revised edition listed on Goodreads.
On one hand, it's a stereotypical story about a faithful and dutiful wife that is ingrained in traditional Japanese stories. Family values, supporting one another, working hard to protect, staying together. The other part is commenting on destructive social expectations to the people who aren't "the mold" for them. Tortured prodigies included.
Nothing super horrific happens in the novel, yet it's disheartening how much Sacchan endures—from her disappearing husband, her frail son, working off the family debt, and staying faithful in the face of catcalls from customers—with sparkling smiles and humor. While her words are hopeful and optimistic, they feel so empty (in Japanese, at least) that it's hard to tell if she genuinely believes them. And her last conversation with her husband feels equally as dour, capturing the after-war Japan personalities with amazing brevity.
Yet this one caused me to bark out a laugh for the audacity of having a single character rant for nearly half the story. I was flipping through the pages thinking, "Where's he going with all of this? Does this guy ever breathe?" He's exposition man, sure, but it took a while for the story to get past this guy's complaining.
On one hand, it's a stereotypical story about a faithful and dutiful wife that is ingrained in traditional Japanese stories. Family values, supporting one another, working hard to protect, staying together. The other part is commenting on destructive social expectations to the people who aren't "the mold" for them. Tortured prodigies included.
Nothing super horrific happens in the novel, yet it's disheartening how much Sacchan endures—from her disappearing husband, her frail son, working off the family debt, and staying faithful in the face of catcalls from customers—with sparkling smiles and humor. While her words are hopeful and optimistic, they feel so empty (in Japanese, at least) that it's hard to tell if she genuinely believes them. And her last conversation with her husband feels equally as dour, capturing the after-war Japan personalities with amazing brevity.
Yet this one caused me to bark out a laugh for the audacity of having a single character rant for nearly half the story. I was flipping through the pages thinking, "Where's he going with all of this? Does this guy ever breathe?" He's exposition man, sure, but it took a while for the story to get past this guy's complaining.
January 13, 2022
as usual, i love dazai’s characters. this is no exception
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews