Sunday, 13 May 2018

The Life of Akutagawa Ryūnosuke

Akutagawa Ryūnosuke (born in Tokyo in 1892 – died in Tokyo in 1927) was a Japanese writer. He is widely regarded as the “Father of the Japanese short story”. He saw Natsume Sōseki as his teacher and idol, and his short story Hana (“The Nose”), attracted a letter of praise from Sōseki himself.

His later works, which include Kappa (1927) and Aru ahō no isshō ("A Fool's Life", 1927), incorporate references to his deteriorating physical and mental health.

On 24 July, 1927, he committed suicide through an overdose of barbital. He described his suicidal anguish in letters addressed to his friends.

The Akutagawa Prize, a literary award, was established in his memory by Akutagawa's lifelong friend Kan Kikuchi.

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