I first read Shusaku Endo’s novel “The Sea and Poison” and this was my second encounter with him, as a play, and I found it manageably readable because I rarely read plays and it is quite impossible to compare reading the novel with the play. I think the play has primarily been written for actors to perform on the stage so that its audiences can appreciate it as a performing art in which they can experience all effects involved there, that is, its lights, colors, sounds, discourses, emotions, etc. Thus, reading this play would be essentially secondary due to its limited function or purpose of the author. However, its readers advised to read its companion novel “Silence” should understand more on the 1633 ruthless events as described in this play (back cover).From this play, I first found these two new terms used in calling Japan interesting; the first being “golden country” (p. 24, passim) and the second “mudswamp” (p. 69, passim). One of the reasons is that I have never read or found them before in any short story, novel, tale, etc. translated from Japanese. Figuratively exemplified, the terms having marvelously been revealed Endo’s literary expertise might amaze his readers with different effects. As for the first, Hirata says, “ ... They have come to us in pursuit of a vision, in search of a golden country.” (p. 24) and in Act 2, Scene 2 Tomonaga talks about "the golden country" first mentioned by St. Francis Xavier while Inoue doesn't agree with the term (p. 64) and later he argues, “Inoue-dono, you said just now that the seed would not grow, in this mudswamp called Japan... But I, just like the Fathers, believe that Japan is the golden country.” (p. 69) These denote Hirata’s and Tomonaga's admirable, optimistic attitude in contrast with Inoue's contemptuous, pessimistic attitude toward the country.
What do You think about The Golden Country (2003)?
