Toson Shimazaki's The Broken Commandment(Hakai)

Toson Shimazaki wins a high reputation in Japan as a poet,essayist and novelist in Japan,for which he plays a significant role in the history of literature of Japan.During his lifetime,he experienced three times,Meiji,Taisho,and Showa.Thus,to some extent,the history of his creation could well mirror the development of Japanese literature in the three times.From the initial period of being the romantic poet to later the writer pursuing naturalism,both the content and skills of his creation were changed.However,his detest for feudal ideology and feudal system,and his pursuit for modern thoughts kept deep within his heart.This is inseparable from Toson Shimazaki's life experience.Tracing his way of creation and thinking,romanticism and naturalism have long been functioning as the key factors.The Broken Commandment(Hakai)is the first long-lengthnovel of Toson Shimazaki,which is also considered as the first novel in the time of Meiji.In this novel,Toson Shimazaki portrayed the image of “Ushimatsu Segawa”,which was also the epitome of himself.In the meantime,the image of “Commandment” was presented in the full text.In the suffering of “Sticking to the commandment” and“Breaking the commandment”,the leading character endowed the profound social influence of “Commandment”.“Commandment” originated from the tribal discrimination of the people,and the different voices to the tribal people and unfair treatment more uncovered the veil of the serious problem of that time.In this novel,Ushimatsu both respected and was afraid of this father.This was rooted from the feudal patriarchal system since the ancient times.As the “leader”of a family,the father has the most supreme authority,which means that Ushimatsu could not go against his warn but to stick to it.This is also one of the reasons and problems that confused Ushimatsu.Actually,the confusion of Ushimatsu is the reflection of constrict of feudal patriarchal system to human's character.Ushimatsu,an advanced person with many years of Western education and thoughts,encountered the conflict of the free modern thoughts and ancient feudal ideology.In this conflict of the new and the old,Ushimatsu ended up withbreaking the oath and seeking freedom and individualism.To sum up,“Commandment” is not only the discrimination of the society to tribal people,but also Toson Shimazaki's in-depth reflection on the feudal patriarchal system and exploration for a new self in the modern times.