About
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa was a Japanese writer of the Taishō period, regarded as the father of the modern Japanese short story. Born in Tokyo, he studied English literature at Tokyo Imperial University. His story 'Rashōmon' (1915) attracted the attention of Natsume Sōseki, who became his mentor. His works, such as 'The Nose' (1916), 'Hell Screen' (1918), and 'In a Grove' (1922), are distinguished by their careful structure and psychological depth, drawing on classical Japanese, Chinese, and European sources. He opposed the dominant naturalist school. Suffering from mental and physical illness, he committed suicide in 1927. The Akutagawa Prize, established in 1935, is named in his honor.
* 1892-03-01 — † 1927-07-24
Major works
- Rashōmon (1915)short story
- Hana (Le Nez) (1916)short story
- Jigokuhen (L'Enfer des images) (1918)short story
- Kumo no ito (Le Fil d'araignée) (1918)short story
- Yabu no naka (Dans le fourré) (1922)short story
Key milestones
- 1916Graduated from Tokyo Imperial University, where he studied English literature.
- 1918Signed an exclusive contract with the Osaka Mainichi Shinbun newspaper and married Fumi Tsukamoto.
- 1927Died by suicide on July 24, at age 35.
Themes
Human psychologyMorality and ethicsArt and beautyMadness and mental healthConflict between tradition and mode
Sources: britannica.com · ndl.go.jp
