Loyalty and Other Writings

A lord’s illness unsettles his household. One retainer puts the family’s survival first; another cannot abandon the man he has cared for since childhood. Their rival loyalties lead toward a devastating incident in the shogun’s castle.

Akutagawa Ryūnosuke’s seven-work collection explores the uncertainties behind honorable actions and flattering appearances. A long pursuit of revenge consumes its participants, while an unexpected sequel leaves their enemy’s fate in question. After the celebrated Akō vendetta, Ōishi Kuranosuke finds his hard-won satisfaction disturbed by praise that misunderstands him.

A satirical dialogue turns an editor’s demand for a modern love story into an argument about illusion and everyday survival. Three shorter pieces consider a writer’s hope for future readers, the clues around an apparently abandoned villa, and changing tastes in favorite books.