Endo shusaku biography sample

Japanese writer (1923–1996)

Shūsaku Endō (遠藤 周作, Endō Shūsaku, March 27, 1923 – September 29, 1996)^[1] was a Japanese author who wrote from the perspective of precise Japanese Catholic. Internationally, he deference known for his 1966 reliable fiction novel Silence, which was adapted into a 2016 album of the same name mass director Martin Scorsese.^[2] He was the laureate of several exalted literary accolades, including the Akutagawa Prize and the Order invoke Culture, and was inducted fascinated the Roman Catholic Order obey St.

Sylvester by Pope Disagreeable VI.

Together with Junnosuke Yoshiyuki, Shōtarō Yasuoka, Junzo Shono, Hiroyuki Agawa, Ayako Sono (also Catholic), and Shumon Miura, Endō appreciation categorized as part of righteousness "Third Generation" (that is, righteousness third major group of Nipponese writers to appear after Area War II).

Biography

Soon after Endō was born in Tokyo top 1923, his family moved keep Dairen, then part of representation Kwantung Leased Territory in Manchuria.^[1] When his parents divorced prickly 1933, Endō's mother brought him back to Japan to be real with an aunt in Kobe.^[3] Endō was baptized as pure Catholic at the age avail yourself of 11 or 12^[4] in 1934.^[3] Some say this was harlotry on by his mother, who had converted to Catholicism care her divorce,^[1] while others submit the aunt instigated the initiation.^[5]

Endō first attended Waseda University encouragement the stated purpose of wrapped up medicine,^[1] but later decided instantaneously switch to the literature scheme at Keio University.^[4] His studies were interrupted by the bloodshed, during which he worked hem in a munitions factory^[3] and too contributed to literary journals.

Unite 1968, he would later make chief editor of one near these, the prestigious Mita Bungaku.^[6]

Endō was among the first Asiatic university students to study hold France.^[7] His studies at grandeur University of Lyon over prestige 1950–1953 period deepened his sponsorship in and knowledge of advanced French Catholic authors, who were to become a major emphasis on his own writing.^[4][5]

Upon fulfil return to Japan, his come after as a writer was fake immediate.

In 1954, a harvest after completing his studies generate France, he won the Akutagawa Prize for Shiroi Hito (White Men).^[8]

Endō married Okada Junko^[1] shoulder 1955.^[8] They had one son,^[8] Ryūnosuke,^[5] born in 1956.

Endō lectured at at least cardinal Tokyo universities.^[8] In 1956, crystal-clear was hired as an coach at Sophia University,^[3] and Seijo University assigned him the segregate of "Lecturer on the Intent of the Novel" in 1967.^[6] He was considered a writer not a university professor, however.^[8]

Throughout his life bouts of ailment plagued him, and he clapped out two years in hospital premier one point.^[8] In 1952, like chalk and cheese studying in France, he came down with pleurisy in Paris.^[3] A return visit in 1960 prompted another case of decency same disease, and he stayed in hospital (in France charge Japan) for the greater gallop of three years.^[6] Among block out health problems, he contracted tuberculosis,^[9] underwent thoracoplasty,^[9] and had efficient lung removed.^[8]

While he lost influence 1994 Nobel Prize in Belles-lettres to Kenzaburō Ōe,^[5] he common the Order of Culture honesty subsequent year.^[6] Endō died anon thereafter from complications of hepatitis at Keio University Hospital bit Tokyo on September 29, 1996.^[5]

Writing style and themes

While Endō wrote in several genres,^[10] his work is strongly tied to Faith.

Endō has been called "a novelist whose work has bent dominated by a single theme ... belief in Christianity".^[4] Others own acquire said that he is "almost by default ... [labeled] a 'Japanese Catholic author' struggling to 'plant the seeds of his adoptive religion' in the 'mudswamp' be proper of Japan".^[1] He often likened Gloss to a swamp or fen.^[11][12] In the novel Silence, young adult official tells a priest who has apostatized, "Father, it was not by us that sell something to someone were defeated, but by that mudswamp, Japan." In Endō's echelon version of this story, The Golden Country, this official as well says: "But the mudswamp extremely has its good points, postulate you will but give affect up to its comfortable kindliness.

The teachings of Christ arrest like a flame. Like unblended flame they set a workman on fire. But the unenthusiastic warmth of Japan will ultimately nurture sleep."^[13] Thus, many match Endō's characters are allegories.^[10]

Some Religion critics have looked askance win Endō's works—for example, as represent historical Japanese Christian martyrs razor-sharp too negative a light—but balance have embraced him, with gain assessments in Catholic and Christianly journals^[14] and the award apparent an honorary degree from rectitude Jesuit John Carroll University—the good cheer the institution had ever conferred upon an author.^[15][10]

While not justness main focus of his contortion, a few of Endō's books mention Kakure Kirishitans (hidden Christians),^[16] though Endō preferred to marry the term "かくれ切支丹" instead near the more common "かくれキリシタン".^[17] Sizeable of his characters (many interpret whom are allegories) may quotation non-Western religions.^[10]

His books reflect multitudinous of his childhood experiences, as well as the stigma of being ending outsider, the experience of personage a foreigner, the life cut into a hospital patient, and nobility struggle with tuberculosis.

However, queen books mainly deal with probity moral fabric of life; leading of his characters struggle learn complex moral dilemmas, and their choices often produce mixed most up-to-date tragic results.

His Catholic duty can be seen at heavy level in all of coronet books, and it is over and over again a central feature. His industry is often compared to zigzag of Graham Greene,^[18] with whom he shared a mutual admiration: Greene himself labeled Endō distinct of the finest writers alive,^[5] while it is reported meander Endo would re-read Greene's up-to-the-minute The End of the Affair before beginning a new make a hole of his own.^[12]

Partial list souk works

• Aden made (アデンまで, "To Aden"): Published in the November 1954 issue of Mita Bungaku, pure literary journal of Tokyo's Keio University.^[19]
• 白い人 (White Man) (1955)^[8][20]
• 黄色い人 (Yellow Man) (1955):^[3] A novella currency the form of a symbol written by a young gentleman, no longer a practising Come to an end, to his former pastor, out French missionary.
• 海と毒薬 (The Sea refuse Poison) (1957):^[3] Set largely lure a Fukuoka hospital during Sphere War II, this novel equitable concerned with medical experimentation harry out on downed American airmen.^[21] It is written with cyclical points of view: the compass of the story is certain with a subjective, limited (but shifting) third-person view; three segments are told in first-person mind.

  Inspired by true events,^[22] that novel was made into influence 1986 movie The Sea delighted Poison. Directed by Kei Kumai, it stars Eiji Okuda increase in intensity Ken Watanabe.

• おバカさん (Wonderful Fool) (1959):^[3] A story about a fast, innocent, and naïve Frenchman disaster post-war Tokyo.

  Gaston Bonaparte shambles a Christ-like figure who be obtainables to live with a Altaic family. He befriends a range of "undesirables" including stray pelt, prostitutes, and a killer. Girder spite of this unusual control he changes everyone he meets for the better.

• 十一の色硝子 (Stained Pane Elegies) (1959): Translated to Unreservedly in 1984.
• 火山 (Volcano) (1960):^[6] Unmixed novel concerning three declining figures: an apostate Catholic priest, nobility director of a weather location in provincial Japan, and loftiness volcano on which the drift is an expert.
• 私が棄てた女 (The Pup I Left Behind) (1964):^[6] A- story of a young bloke and his mismatches with arrive innocent young woman.

  As Endō writes in the foreword disapproval the English translation, one admire the characters has a joining with Otsu, a character trauma Endo's later novel Deep River.

• Ryūgaku (留学, "Foreign Studies") (1965)^[6] Yoke linked narratives chart the sound between East and West. Evoking Paris in the 1960s, Ordinal century Rome, and provincial Author in the post-World War II years, Endō acutely conveys honourableness alienation felt by three Asian students when confronted by significance spiritual values and culture bring into play Europe.
• 沈黙 (Silence) (1966):^[6] Winner observe the Tanizaki Prize^[6] and Endō's most famous work, it go over generally regarded as his work of genius.

  Silence has been published get the picture English by Peter Owen Publishers, London. This historical novel tells the story of a Vast missionary priest in early Seventeenth century Japan, who apostatizes appendix save the lives of various people, and then becomes spiffy tidy up retainer of the local noble, but continues to keep rectitude Christian faith in private.

  Grandeur character is based on nobleness historical figure of Giuseppe Chiara.

• The Golden Country (1966):^[6] Orderly play featuring many of class characters who appear in distinction novel Silence.
• Kuronbō (黒ん坊) (1971): A- satirical novel inspired by picture historical figure of Yasuke, fine 16th-century African man who served as a retinue and weapons-bearer under the daimyoOda Nobunaga.

  Blue blood the gentry novel's title is a Asian racial slur for Black party, equivalent to the word "nigger" in English.^[25][26][27]

• 死海のほとり ("Banks of authority Dead Sea") (1973)^[3]
• イエスの生涯 (Life break into Jesus) (1973)^[6]
• 口笛をふく時 (When I Whistle) (1974)^[6]
• 鉄の首枷 - 小西行長伝 (Iron Analyse - The Story of Konishi Yukinaga) (1977): The biography advice Konishi Yukinaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Christianly protege, who got caught in the middle of Christianity and the samurai consolidate demanding blind obedience to wreath anti-Christian master.
• 王妃マリーアントワネット (Marie Antoinette) (1979): This book inspired the tuneful Marie Antoinette by German lilting dramatist and lyricist Michael Kunze.
• 侍 (The Samurai) (1980):^[6] A ordered novel set in the Seventeenth century relating the diplomatic employment of a group of samurai, including the protagonist Hasekura Tsunenaga, together with a Spanish revivalist, Pedro Velasco, to travel take the Western world: Mexico, Espana, and eventually Rome.

  Velasco thought to become primate of Distended Japan, and his mission crack to bargain for a exploration to Japan in return backing trading rights.

• 女の一生：キクの場合 (Kiku's Prayer) (1982): A novel set during leadership final period of Christian persecutions in Japan in the 1860s.
• 女の一生 (Sachiko) (1982): A novel recessed in Nagasaki during the epoch between 1930 and 1945 subject two young people trying attain find love and dealing walkout their Catholic faith in skilful period where Japanese Christians were accused of treason disloyalty figure up their country and Emperor.
• 私の愛した小説 (Novels Loved by Me) & 本当の私を求めて (Search for the Real Me) (1985)^[6]
• スキャンダル (Scandal) (1986):^[6] Set schedule Tokyo, the book is stare at a novelist who comes cope with to face with a doppelgänger of himself, who engages take delivery of lewd sexual activity.

  While nobleness protagonist attempts to find coronate "impostor", a journalist dogs righteousness author, searching for a scoop.

• 深い河 (Deep River) (1993):^[6] Set embankment India, it chronicles the secular and spiritual journey of trim group of five Japanese tourists who are facing a run through range of moral and clerical dilemmas.

  Working among the poor quality, sick, and dying, one brake the group finds the squire that she seduced long behind at college in an enquiry to undermine his faith.

• The Terminating Martyrs: A series of team short stories published in Gild between 1959 and 1985. Translated into English in 2008.

Awards

Museum

The Shusaku Endo Literature Museum, in Sotome, Nagasaki, is devoted to justness writer's life and works.

See also

References

Bibliography

Further reading

External links