Zlatý pavilon – Mišima Jukio (2022)

The Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji, 1956) is a dramatic story set in the post-war period about a frail, stuttering novice who becomes so captivated by the beauty of the Golden Pavilion that he is unable to lead a normal life. He decides to dominate the object of his admiration by destroying it. Mishima fictionalized a real event that occurred in 1950 in this novel, creating a remarkable portrait of a young psychopath. He infused the narrative with a wealth of decadent imagery, incorporating his own aesthetic views and unique theories on the obsession with beauty and its destruction. The proximity of ruin only added to the hero's perception of the Golden Pavilion's charm. Only what remains in the heart after conscious destruction will endure, a thought that led Mishima to self-destruction. The Golden Pavilion is not only Mishima's most successful work, but it is also still considered one of the most significant creations of modern Japanese literature decades after its inception.