“Man is a being in search of meaning.”
Spring Snow (1969)
The first novel in the tetralogy, Spring Snow, is set in 1912 during Japan’s Taishō era. It follows the tragic love affair between Kiyoaki Matsugae, a young aristocrat, and Satoko Ayakura, a noblewoman engaged to a prince. Kiyoaki, initially indifferent to Satoko, becomes consumed by passion after she is betrothed. Their secret affair leads to Satoko’s pregnancy, and she is forced to enter a convent to avoid scandal. Kiyoaki, devastated, pursues her but collapses and dies in the snow, symbolizing the fleeting nature of beauty and desire.
Runaway Horses (1969)
The second novel, Runaway Horses, shifts to the 1930s and follows Isao Iinuma, the son of Kiyoaki’s childhood tutor. Inspired by nationalist ideals, Isao plots a coup to restore imperial power, emulating the samurai spirit. His radicalism leads to his arrest and eventual seppuku (ritual suicide). The novel critiques Japan’s militarization and the clash between tradition and modernity, mirroring Mishima’s own political views.
The Temple of Dawn (1970)
The Temple of Dawn spans the 1940s–1960s, focusing on Honda, Kiyoaki’s friend, now a lawyer. He encounters a Thai princess, Ying Chan, whom he believes is the reincarnation of Kiyoaki. Obsessed with proving reincarnation, Honda follows her to Japan, but she rejects his theories and dies in a plane crash. The novel explores Buddhist philosophy, fate, and the elusive nature of truth.
The Decay of the Angel (1971)
The final installment, The Decay of the Angel, follows Honda in old age as he adopts Tōru, a troubled youth he believes is Kiyoaki’s latest reincarnation. Tōru, however, is manipulative and cruel, leading to a bitter confrontation. The novel ends with Honda’s disillusionment and death, concluding the cycle of reincarnation with a bleak meditation on decay and the futility of human striving.
Key Ideas
- The transience of beauty and youth
- The conflict between tradition and modernity
- Reincarnation and cyclical fate
- Nationalism and political extremism
- The decay of moral and spiritual values
Who should read this book?
- Readers interested in Japanese literature and historical fiction
- Those drawn to philosophical explorations of fate and reincarnation
- Fans of tragic, lyrical prose and psychological depth
- Scholars of Mishima’s life and ideology