Rynosuke Akutagawa was a Japanese author known as the "father of the short story." His memory is kept alive by the Akutagawa Prize, Japan's most prestigious literary award.
Rynosuke Akutagawa was born in Irifune, Tokyo. Ryūnosuke was the eldest child of Toshizō Niihara and Fuku. His mother became mentally ill shortly after his birth, and he was adopted by his maternal uncle, Dōshō Akutagawa. From an early age, Ryūnosuke showed an interest in classical Chinese literature and the works of Mori Ōgai and Natsume Sōseki. He attended First High School, where he befriended future authors Kan Kikuchi and Kume Masao.
Ryūnosuke entered Tokyo Imperial University in 1913 to study English literature. Here, he began his writing career. Despite an initial rejection from his adoptive family, he married Fumi Tsukamoto in 1918, with whom he had three children. Before becoming a full-time writer, he briefly taught English at the Naval Engineering School.
In 1914, Ryūnosuke and friends revived "Shinshichō," publishing translations and original works. His breakthrough came with the publication of Rashōmo" in 1915. He gained encouragement after a visit to Natsume Sōseki, who praised his subsequent work Hana (The Nose). This story became his first significant literary success.
Akutagawa's writings often reinterpreted classical works and historical incidents, with stories such as Jigoku Hen (Hell Screen), Butōkai (The Ball), and Kappa. His narrative style integrated elements from Japanese and Western literary traditions, reflecting his belief in the universality of literature.
He later turned his attention to psychological themes and was heavily influenced by his struggles with mental health. A Fool's Life and Spinning Gears (1927) are examples of this phase, where his writing became more introspective and autobiographical.
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa's life was marred by mental illness, mirroring the fate he feared due to his mother's condition. He ended his life by suicide in 1927 at the age of 35. In his will, he expressed a profound sense of insecurity about his future.
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