Jun'ichirōTanizaki and “The Tattooer”
Tanizaki was a Japanese Modernist who was heavily inspired by the work of the Romantics, including Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley. While reading “The Tattooer,” consider the Romantic notion of the artist’s use of the imagination (in this text, the ways in which the artist tries to be like God) and apply those themes to the text. Keep in mind Victor Frankenstein’s faults and ambitions when reading.
Although Tanizaki works within a Western framework, his text undoubtedly carries Eastern themes—those of Japanese Aesthetics. Themes of Japanese Aesthetics include: “Mono No Aware,” or the Impermanence of things—including how readers are able to readily identify the shift in characterization or writing style of the author; “Wabi,” which privileges the beginnings and ends of things; “Yugen,” or themes of the “dark” and “mysterious,” which is where Tanizaki draws from Gothic Romances; and “Sabi,” or themes of desolation and barrenness.
Mono No Aware, in other words, involves themes of transformation and sustaining change, so consider how the characters within Tanizaki’s piece endure changes in characterization throughout the story.
Wabi can be seen as artists focusing and heightening the awareness of Mono No Aware, concentrating on the shift in attitude and roles of the character(s) in the beginning of a piece and at the end of the piece.
Yugen is pretty self-explanatory because we’ve studied Gothic Romances for the past couple weeks. Tanizaki utilizes some of the elements of the “Five Basic Motifs” of Gothic literature—specifically the supernatural, societal taboos, the villain,and an innocent heroine. Consider how these themes are inherent in the text, and then take into account how Tanizaki complicates the “villain/innocent heroine” themes at the end of the short-story.
Sabi, as suggested above, signifies desolateness, or that which is barren and empty. Just as Victor Frankenstein feels “empty” after he infuses life into the creature, consider how characters within “The Tattooer” are or become empty, or how they give up a part of themselves.
Finally, consider how Tanizaki’s text reveals the culture in which he lived. The roles of females, how power is illustrated between genders, the geography and areas of Japan that are mentioned, themes of sexuality, and societal taboos are all themes within this piece of literature. So, don’t be bashful if you see explicit themes of sexuality. Bring those ideas into the classroom because this text reveals much about Japanese culture and the traditions still practiced within Japan.