Osamu Dazai’s Literature And The Bible

Osamu Dazai is one of the best-selling writers in the history of modern Japaneseliterature. Chinese readers also pay attention to Dazai. His masterpiece the Setting Sunand other works were reprinted many times. He becomes to be a favorite writer in China.Though giving people negative impression as lonely, misanthropic, self-denial, Dazaialways maintains high attraction and influence among young people in Japan and Asia.The reason why Dazai’s literature can be enduring vitality is not only a subject which isworth thinking about, but also the research value of his character and works.Observing and studying the writers and works of modern Japanese literature, it isno doubt that the presence of Western Christianity and the Bible has influence onDazai’s literature. Introduced to Japan in1549, Christianity has produced a certaininfluence on socio-cultural, national identity and direction. Dazai is not a Christianbeliever, but very enamored of Christianity. He can not only blend the Bible naturallyinto his literary idea and artistic expression, but also maintain reverence emotion and befascinated with the Christianity all his life, which is rare in modern Japanese literature.It can be considered that, as a novelist Dazai has achieved the milestone of japanizationof Western Christian by creating his literature.The relationship between Dazai and the Bible is influenced by his own experienceand close friends. It is in such a background that Dazai goes gradually towards to thespirit of Christ. There is a comment that if ignoring the influence of the Bible, it isdifficult to understand Dazai’s literature. He quoted the Bible’s statements in his manyworks. Especially in his masterpiece the Setting Sun, he created Kazuko’s character byusing the image of Jesus Christ. By using unique artistic techniques, Dazai showedKazuko’s fearless indomitable spirit in her "Love and Revolution" road for us.Concentrating on the Setting Sun to discuss the relationship between Dazai’sliterature and the spirit of Christ, we may fall deeper into the inner world of Dazai andfind the existing state of western religious consciousness in Japanese. At the same time,we can not only touch the delicate relationship and the acceptance between Japaneseand western religions, but also analysis the spirit of Dazai’s literature, the sense ofatonement and his decadence and world-weary. As a result, we could discover a newworld of Dazai’s research.