Love, Death and Fascist Iconography Essay

To the fascistic artist, his or her hold art is merely a vessel that encapsulates his or her own socially-motivated beliefs. The kit and caboodle of Yukio Mishima and Leni Riefenstahl, for instance, embody the essence of their somebody nationalities at the height of their individual careersnationalities that might transcend origin and geography, yet extol culture, tradition, ritual and society.Mishima and Riefenstahl exhibit incredible parallelism in their works. Mishima, in his short story Patriotism, describe the human form with such feature and meticulousness reminiscent of Riefenstahls style in her 1930s films. much(prenominal) like Riefenstahls The Last of the Nuba, the naked body is depicted as a means of fascist iconographythe body, perfect and pure in its own way, merges with a bigger community of bodies of like characteristics (Evans 31).Susan Sontags treatise on the works of Riefenstahl, Fascinating Fascism, breaks down the latters appreciation and fascination of the truehearted and beautiful Nuba figure as examples of Nazi ideology corresponding to the belief of aesthetics for fascists. Sontag writes, Riefenstahls portrait of them evokes some of the larger themes of Nazi ideology the contrast between the clean and the impure, the incorruptible and the defiled, the physical and the mental, the joyful and the searing (par. 27).This description is echoed in Mishimas Patriotism, when the lead character Takeyama decides to commit seppukuritual suicide by disembowelmentas an act of redemption from the enthrall incurred when his comrades formed alliances with the mutineers. Mishimas imagery of Takeyama and his wife Reikos preparations for the ritual, as strong as the metaphors he uses in describing the couples physical forms conveys a fascination for perfection and beauty a la Riefenstahlremarkable symbols of fascist iconography, as Sontag would consider. In its own effect, Takeyama, Reiko and the Nuba become examples of the master race, where e very unitary is beautiful, strong, and does non age (Trimborn & McCown 256).Mishima and Riefenstahls works are also parallel in such that their depictions of shoemakers last are detailed, beautiful and almost enthralling. In Patriotism, close in is portrayed as a reward, a happy and famous ceremony that requires the utmost preparation. In the Nuba culture, death is a central event, along with fighting.In the Japanese culture, as evidenced by Mishimas dominant detail in describing Takeyamas death, death is a way for one to demonstrate his or her enduring loyalty and nationalism to the Imperial system. cobblers last in both Mishima and Riefenstahls works surpass biographys merriest eventsbirth, marriage, loveat times besting even life itself.Mishima writes, All around, immensely and untidily, stretched the country for which he grieved. He was to give his life for it. But would that owing(p) country, which he was prepared to remonstrate to the extent of destroying himself take the slightest heed of his death? He did not know and not matter (par. 63). Takeyamas psychometric test of self not only mirrors the authors suggestions of his own death wish, it also echoes the sentiments of those at a lower place the spell of a fascist ideologytheir so-called patriotismthat converts their intellect of nationhood as something not only territorial, but equally and incredibly spiritual.The new-made lieutenant and his bride chose their own death by seppuku, which may be seen as either an honorable and extremely devout approach, or as a self-destructive and deadly consequence of their fanaticism. Mishima unintentionally diverts the readers forethought from this concept with his alluring illustrations of fascist ideals and concepts, again reminiscent of Riefenstahls imagery in her Nazi films. Sontag would consider it an absolute expression of fascist art, in the sense that it glorifies surrender, exalts mindlessness, and glamorizes death (par. 36). Above everything, Mishima verifies in his work and own life the burden that comes with the business to abide by cultural traditionduty can be all in one beautiful or ugly, life or death.Works CitedEvans, Mark. Movement Training for the Modern Actor. London, UK Taylor and Francis, 2008.Mishima, Yushio. Patriotism. Trans. Geoffrey W. Sargent. Mutantfrog Travelogue. 27 June 2009. Sontag, Susan. Fascinating Fascism. University of California Santa Barbara. 27 June 2009. Trimborn, Jurgen & McCown, Edna. Leni Riefenstahl A Life. New York MacMillan, 2007.