Greece

Apollo's CupYukio Mishima and Japanese Literature

Yukio Mishima's "The Cup of Apollo" Synopsis and Impressions - A travelogue of his first trip around the world and his experiences in Greece! Recommended to learn about Mishima's view of art!

Yukio Mishima embarked on a round-the-world trip at the end of 1951 as a special correspondent for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. The travelogue of this trip became "Apollo's Cup.

Mishima enjoyed the ruins and art of Athens and Delphoi, and wrote about his thoughts in his travel journal. He visited many places during his round-the-world trip, but his impressions of these places clearly stand out.

And this is very interesting because it frankly describes what Mishima thought about Greek art and how it influenced his own view of literature and life.

The Cup of Apollo" is filled with Mishima's original Greek and Roman experiences. It is also a very informative work for understanding Mishima's literature and way of life.
Sun and IronYukio Mishima and Japanese Literature

Yukio Mishima's "The Sun, Iron, and My Pilgrimage Period" - An autobiographical work that lets us know the origin of the young Mishima! What is Mishima discovering the sun on his first round-the-world trip?

What kind of days did that Mishima spend as a young man, and how was he able to enter the literary world? This is very interesting. The episode of his first meeting with Osamu Dazai is particularly interesting, and the composition of Mishima vs. Dazai is clearly described here. Even the differences in literary styles between the two men are discussed, and this part alone is a very extravagant episode.

And as I quoted in my previous article on "Tidal Wave," I was most impressed by the episode about Yukio Mishima's first round-the-world trip in his life. He started his round-the-world trip at the end of 1951 as a special correspondent for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. This episode, in which Yukio Mishima discovered the very sun, had a meaning that would later define Mishima's literature.
RamayanaIndian thought, culture and history

The Indian Mythological Tale Ramayana" Synopsis and Impressions - Adventure myth of Rama and his beloved monkey god Hanuman, who struggles to save his captive wife Sita.

The Iliad and Mahabharata, which are set in huge battlefields, whereas The Odyssey and Ramayana are based on the adventures of the heroes. The parallels were very interesting to me. Moreover, the similarity is that the story itself is more interesting in "The Odyssey," which is full of strange and adventurous tales.

I have read the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, two great Indian epics in a row, and this was a wonderful experience. I was completely blown away by the depth and interest of India. I highly recommend this work.
Greek tragedyShakespeare, a treasure trove of masterpieces

Kazuhiko Tange, "Greek Tragedy" - Recommended introductory book to learn the depth of Greek tragedy.

In this work, you will first learn about the origins of Greek tragedy and its flow in the introduction.

From there, the flow of the book, in chronological order, examines the depth of Greek tragedy through the works of Aeschylus, Sopocles, and Euripides, the major figures in Greek tragedy. I appreciated this because it explains very clearly how the content of tragedy changed over time.

Greek tragedies are well-known by name, but their contents are not well known. This is a recommended introductory book to learn the depth of Greek tragedy.
Shakespeare, a treasure trove of masterpieces

Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida" Synopsis and Comments - Those heroes talk and talk and talk in the world of the Greek mythology "Iliad"!

Troilus and Cressida" is a gorgeous work that features more and more of the famous heroes from that Greek myth, "The Iliad.

And how well the heroes of this work speak!

Where are those rugged, brave, manly heroes of "The Iliad"? The exchange of words, words, words, as is typical of Shakespeare! The way he speaks makes you want to laugh and wonder, "Are these really the heroes of Greek mythology?

But this is also good, isn't it? It's because it's Shakespeare that we can get this human touch!

The audience at that time must have applauded Shakespeare for showing an all-star battle of the Greek mythological heroes that everyone knew.
The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, the Vatican, and Roman Catholicism

Yoshio Kikuchi, "Two Thousand Years of Mercenaries" - A great book that will change the way you see world history! A recommended gem found in the process of studying Sacco di Roma!

The beauty of this work is that it allows us to look at history from the very beginnings of mercenaries.

This book is a very exciting look at historical changes from ancient Greece in terms of "mercenaries".

Humans have been fighting wars since long ago. But who was fighting those wars? Of course, the main players may have been royalty and nobility. But where did each soldier come from? And what kind of system has been used to conduct wars?

It is a terrific masterpiece that will completely change the way you see the world once you know it!
Shakespeare, a treasure trove of masterpieces

Shakespeare's "Timon of Athens" Synopsis and Impressions - Money is running out. The tragic downfall of a good-natured rich man.

Timon of Athens was written on the model of Tynomos, a misanthropic citizen of Athens who actually existed around the fifth century BC.

The storyline is simple. Too simple, you might say. And when I actually read it, I thought, yes, I can see why it is called a problematic work in the book's introduction.

Although this work is treated as a problematic work, I feel glad that I was able to read this work in order to consider Shakespeare as a whole.
Impressions of the Summer Recounted in Autumn - Trip to Paris and Georgia

(12) Have you missed "Nike of Samothrace"? An explanation of the Louvre's greatest treasure, which is often overlooked!

The Louvre's greatest treasure, "Nike of Samothrace". This sculpture was discovered in 1863 on the island of Samothrace in the Aegean Sea, and the word "Nike" means "goddess. And this Nike is thought to have been created around 190 B.C. during the Hellenistic period. This sculpture became the most impressive work of art I saw in Paris. I was completely mesmerized by its beauty. In this article, I will talk about the fascination of Nique.
Impressions of the Summer Recounted in Autumn - Trip to Paris and Georgia

(11) Claude Lorrain, Dostoevsky's favorite ideal landscape painter, is discovered at the Louvre Museum. Introduced together with Poussin, a genius of the same period.

Many people still think of the Louvre when they think of Paris.

However, as someone who is interested in Dostoevsky, this museum was actually not on my radar. To be honest, there was nothing in particular that I really wanted to see. I just thought, "Well, it's the famous Louvre, so I might as well go.

However, when I actually visited this museum, I was very ashamed of myself for thinking such a thoughtless thing. This is a wonderful museum that deserves to be recognized. It is a bit presumptuous of me to say so at this late date, but I will say it. The Louvre was amazing after all! I am sure you will agree with me.
The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, the Vatican, and Roman Catholicism

Jacques Le Goff, "Medieval Western Civilization" - Was Medieval Europe really the Dark Ages? Recommended to learn about the process leading up to the Renaissance.

This work is not just a history book. It delves deeply into not only the course of history, but also into the lives and cultures of the people behind it.

This book is an invaluable source of information about the lives and beliefs of people in medieval Europe.

It was especially stimulating to hear about the ideas of purgatory and angels, and the relationship between humans and the forest. The explanations kept coming out that made me want to slap my knees and say, "Oh, I see!" I wanted to hit my knees and say, "Oh, I see!

Compared to ancient Rome and the Renaissance, medieval Europe is clearly minor. However, this period should not be overlooked if we consider that it is precisely because of this in-between period that later Europe came into being.

This work will surely be a great help to see European history in a larger perspective.