The Setting Sun by Osamu Dazai—A Vividly Tragic, Classic Novel on Post-War Life in Japan, Fiction, Softcover

The Setting Sun by Osamu Dazai - Book Description:

The post-war period in Japan was one of immense social change as Japanese society adjusted to the shock of defeat and to the occupation of Japan by American forces and their allies. Osamu Dazai’s The Setting Sun takes this milieu as its background to tell the story of the decline of a minor aristocratic family.

The story is told through the eyes of Kazuko, the unmarried daughter of a widowed aristocrat. Her search for self meaning in a society devoid of use for her forms the crux of Dazai’s novel. It is a sad story, and structurally is a novel very much within the confines of the Japanese take on the novel in a way reminiscent of authors such as Nobel Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata – the social interactions are peripheral and understated, nuances must be drawn, and for readers more used to Western novelistic forms this comes across as being rather wishy-washy.

Kazuko’s mother falls ill, and due to their financial circumstances they are forced to take a cottage in the countryside. Her brother, who became addicted to opium during the war is missing. When he returns, Kazuko attempts to form a liaison with the novelist Uehara. This romantic displacement only furthers to deepen her alienation from society.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

"The Setting Sun" by Osamu Dazai is a renowned Japanese classic that encapsulates the struggles and disillusionment of post-war Japan. The novel follows Kazuko, a young woman from an aristocratic family, who finds herself caught between the traditional values of the past and the changing society of the present. Dazai expertly explores the themes of alienation, despair, and the decay of traditional values through Kazuko's personal journey. As the sun sets on the old ways, Kazuko grapples with her own sense of identity and purpose, mirroring the larger societal shifts happening around her. Dazai's poetic and introspective prose captures the melancholic atmosphere of the era, painting a vivid picture of a country in transition. "The Setting Sun" remains as a poignant reflection on the post-war turmoil and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world.