The Necessity of Mizoguchi Setting Fire to Kinkaku-ji in Yukio Mishima's "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion" from the Perspective of Feticism

Abstract

Yukio Mishima's literary work, "Kinkaku-ji," delves into the portrayal of a young man ensnared by imaginary fetishism. Mizoguchi's arson act is profoundly influenced by this deification. The protagonist, Mizoguchi, struggles with the dichotomy between excessive aesthetic idolatry rooted in the imagined Kinkaku-ji and the flawed existence of the real Kinkaku-ji. This essay explores how his internal conflict, shaped by fetishism, weaves complex factors, including deification and alienation, ultimately culminating in his resolve to set Kinkaku-ji ablaze. In summary, this thesis concludes that Mizoguchi imperative for arson lies in his pursuit of establishing the absolute nature of the imagined Kinkaku-ji