Tóm tắt: Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami

Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami Mĩ cảm trong tiểu thuyết Haruki Murakami

HANOI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION

- -HAI VAN LUONG

THE SENSE OF BEAUTY

IN HARUKI MURAKAMI’S NOVELS

Speciality: Foreign Literature Classification: 9 22 02 42

SUMMARY OF DOCTORAL THESIS IN LITERATURE

Hanoi, 2024

HANOI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION

Advisor (s): Assoc Prof Ph D Mai Lien T Nguyen

Hanoi National University of Education

Reviewer 1: Assoc Prof Ph D Ngoc Kien Phung

(Vietnam) Institute of Literature

Reviewer 2: Prof Ph D Huy Bac Le

Hanoi National University of Education

Reviewer 3: Assoc Prof Ph D Thu Ha Do

VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities

The thesis is presented to the thesis committee

at Hanoi National University of Education

at (hour)… (day) … (month) … (year) …

The thesis can be found at:

National Library of Vietnam

Library of Hanoi National University of Education

1 Reasons for choosing this topic

1.1 Japan - a country in East Asia which possesses unique indigenous cultural

values Life is perceived with a unique aesthetic sensibility by the Japanese TheJapanese aesthetic sensibility permeates the majority of the nation's material andspiritual values Scholarly investigations into Japan, with a particular focus on theaesthetic sensibility present in its literature, make a substantial impact on theadvancement of human perception within the domains of social sciences andhumanities

1.2 Haruki Murakami is regarded as one of the "phenomena" of 21st-century

Japanese literature The distinctive characteristic of his writing not only amplifiesits impact on a national level, but also generates a global upheaval in the form of aphenomenon called “Murakami syndrome.” People consistently approach hisworks with passion and respond to them with fervor Despite missing the NobelPrize multiple times, much to the regret of his admirers, and attracting both praiseand criticism, it is difficult for us to deny the special fascination with Murakami-labeled works

In his writing career, Haruki Murakami places his writerly self between the

boundaries of literature Through his endeavor to write about human beings,Murakami has crafted a unique aesthetic system based on the integration andtransformation of national psyche with a universal sensibility towards beauty Theunique quality of the writer's penmanship forms the basis for profound influences

on contemporary literature not only in Japan but also across globe

1.3 It is our conviction that an examination of The Sense of Beauty in Haruki

Murakami’s novels will yield a beneficial impact on the research system pertaining

to Japanese literature as a whole and the author Murakami specifically Anexamination of the manifestations of aestheticism in his novels, a significantliterary genre throughout Haruki Murakami's writing career, clarifies the issue ofthe writer's "debt" or "non-debt" to national literature Specifically, the finalized

product will serve as a crucial documentation to elucidate the author'sachievements in surpassing conventional boundaries.

2 Purposes and Objectives of the research

2.1 Research Purpose

The exploration of The Sense of Beauty in Haruki Murakami’s novels

serves the subsequent purposes: Elucidate the ways in which aestheticismmanifests itself in the novels of Haruki Murakami regarding aware, zenryou,and yugen; Arrange the notion of beauty as it appears in Murakami's novels inthe context of Japanese beauty; Add to the discourse by bolstering Murakami'sstanding in the annals of literature

4.1 Scope of the text survey

Thirteen novels authored by Haruki Murakami have been formally

translated and distributed in Vietnam thus far In order to complete this thesis,however, we examine seven of Haruki Murakami's works that most eloquently

illustrate his sense of beauty, namely: Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the

World, Norwegian Wood, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Sputnik Sweetheart, Kafka on the Shore, 1Q84, and Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage.

4.2 Scope of the research content

In fact, we can exploit the aesthetics of Murakami's novels in many ways Inparticular, Murakami's works exhibit a great deal of beauty that aligns with theoutstanding Japanese aesthetic concept However, our thesis focuses onresearching the three most typical aesthetic feelings in Haruki Murakami's novels:Aware, Zenryou, and Yugen The overview will clarify the basis for determiningthese three aesthetic feelings

5 Research approach and methods

The Sense of Beauty in Haruki Murakami’s novels thesis is structured

according to the following methodologies: aesthetics; cultural studies; andsemiotics

We utilized the subsequent scientific research methodologies in thedevelopment of the thesis: analysis-synthesis method, biographical criticism andsocial history method, interdisciplinary method, and comparative method

6 Contribution of the new thesis

The Sense of Beauty in Haruki Murakami’s novels is a specialised research

subject that delves into the author's consciousness of beauty in his contemporaryJapanese works It specifically examines the beauty of aware, zenryou, and yugen

By examining the ways in which beauty is expressed in the novels of HarukiMurakami, one can gain a more holistic comprehension of the author After itsfinalisation, the thesis will function as a foundational element for furtherinvestigation into the “Murakami aesthetics” as it relates to his diverse body ofwork, thereby making a constructive contribution to both the domestic and

international scholarly community concerning Haruki Murakami's literary oeuvrespecifically, and Japanese literature Additionally, by examining the work of asingle author, the thesis contributes to the comprehension of contemporaryJapanese beauty as it relates to the development and inheritance of traditionalbeauty.

7 Research Structure

The The Sense of Beauty in Haruki Murakami’s novels thesis is organised

into the following four chapters:

Chapter 1: Overview

Chapter 2: Aware in Haruki Murakami’s novels

Chapter 3: Zenryou in Haruki Murakami’s novels

Chapter 4: Yugen in Haruki Murakami's novels

Chapter 1 OVERVIEW 1.1 Research on Haruki Murakami’s novels

1.1.1 Foreign studies

The emergence of Haruki Murakami as a phenomenon entailed not onlyamassing readers interest but also the particular attention of critics who wereintrigued by the contemporary Japanese author's works and concepts This issupported by the synthesis that the author has compiled of more than threehundred research topics written in foreign languages We have chosen thefollowing related research topics in order to correspond with our subject matter:biographical criticism, ontology, comparative criticism, narratology, sociologicalcriticism, and postmodern criticism

1.1.2 Vietnamese studies

Foreign literary and interdisciplinary scholars, in addition to Vietnamesescholars, have expressed considerable interest in Haruki Murakami's body ofwork, with a particular focus on his novels In Vietnam, comparative criticism,postmodern criticism, thematic analysis, sociological perspectives, and semioticspredominate in discussions of Murakami's works Vietnamese scholars arecomparatively nascent in their efforts to integrate multiple disciplines into theiranalyses of Murakami's works, focusing primarily on the social sciences andhumanities This lack of interdisciplinary integration hinders their ability to fullycomprehend his works The examination of Murakami's works through anaesthetic lens, conversely, is acquiring momentum

1.2 Research on The Sense of Beauty in Haruki Murakami’s novels

1.2.1 Theory of The Sense of Beauty

“The sense of beauty”/ “the aesthetic sense” is defined as feelings andawareness of beauty The author defines the theory of the term “the sense ofbeauty” centered on the outstanding work of George Satanyana and from theJapanese aesthetic concept Unifying the concepts, we view aesthetics as the result

of a harmonious blend of love and the capacity for deeper contemplation Inparticular, aesthetic feeling is an important basis for forming the aesthetic category

of the Japanese people's unique identity Accordingly, Haruki MurakamiIntergrates the hamonious essence of national consciousness and human aestheticconsciousness to create his own unique aesthetic system in his novels.

1.2.2 Researches on The Sense of Beauty in Haruki Murakami’s novels

1.2.2.1 Foreign studies

The topic of beauty as it pertains to Haruki Murakami's novels has been thesubject of scholarly investigation through vairous perspectives Theaforementioned subjects embody the values that transcend national and globalboundaries in the works of Haruki Murakami Scholars have offered perceptiveand credible analyses of literary, social, historical, and religious elements,encompassing modern and postmodern literature in addition to traditionalliterature, as depicted in the works of Murakami Nonetheless, the surveyed workshave failed to ascertain the precise manifestations of beauty within HarukiMurakami's works, nor have they conducted a thorough analysis or explanation ofthe expressions of beauty in his works or provided an explanation of their origins

1.2.2.2 Vietnamese studies

In Vietnam studies, we found that, in addition to recognizing the generalvalues that made Murakami's success on the literary path, most researchersacknowledged the ability to flexibly integrate East and West in his works Studiesconfirm that in Murakami's works, Eastern characteristics and Japan's soulcontinue to coexist, alongside depictions of Modern, Westernized society.Although some research has been conducted on the aesthetic sense of Murakami'sworks, it has been largely restricted to analysing a single work or a single aspect ofexpression

1.3 Establishing the basis of The Sense of Beauty in Haruki Murakami’s

Novels

1.3.1 The basis of the theory of The Sense of Beauty

G Santayana has offered a substantial amount of study However, whendetermining the scope of the thesis, it is crucial to recognize and take into accountaesthetic considerations Firstly, there is the pleasure of beauty Secondly, there isthe goodness of beauty Thirdly, there is the vagueness of beauty The Japanese

aesthetic sense of aware, yugen, and philosophy of good and evil share numeroussimilarities with G Satanyana's examination of the three components mentionedabove Hence, in addition to discerning aesthetic emotions according to G.Satanyana's thesis, we designate the aesthetic senses conveyed in Murakami'snovels as aware, zenryou, and yugen, which are also rooted in Japanese aestheticsensibility.

1.3.2 The basis of Haruki Murakami’s statements

Murakami explores the concept of universal beauty in every work, wherethe allure of literature and humanity intricately intertwine, embodying bothindividual and collective national beauty Based on Murakami’s statementsthrough interviews, discussions, or books discussing art, we can grasp the aestheticsystem established by the Japanese writer's writing spirit Murakami conveys hisaesthetic intentions for his creative journey to readers through the use of mysterystories, even though he does not explicitly define his conceptions of beauty Thoseconcepts were absorbed by Murakami and expressed creatively in the pages of thenovel On the basis of these assertions, we shall investigate the sense of beautypresent in Haruki Murakami's novels

Summary of Chapter 1

By virtue of an extensive body of research encompassing dissertations,articles, and evaluations, it is indisputable that Haruki Murakami presentlyoccupies a preeminent position among contemporary authors The examination ofMurakami's novels is extensive and varied, both domestically and internationally,incorporating biographical criticism, ontology, comparative criticism,autoethnography, and postmodern criticism, among others The aesthetic value ofthe writer's "drops of literary ink" has thus been increasingly affirmed HarukiMurakami's views, characterized by their humanism and universal significance,have gained widespread recognition over time In particular, the direction ofexploiting Murakami's aesthetic expressions in the writer's novels has emerged as

an urgent topic Based on “the sense of beauty” theory, which draws from GeorgeSatanyana's arguments and the Japanese aesthetic concept, we have determinedthat aesthetics is defined as the expression of a harmonious aesthetic

consciousness that blends love and a profound capacity for contemplating humanbeauty Haruki Murakami also demonstrates a profound perception of beauty inhis work Despite the fact that some studies have discussed Haruki Murakami's

aesthetic system, we have not found any duplications of this topic The Sense of

Beauty in Haruki Murakami's novels The aesthetic catogories in his works have

primarily been studied at a comprehensive, overaching level We base the thesis’approach on two key aspects: first, the combination of G Satanyana's aesthetictheory and traditional aesthetic categories; and second, Haruki Murakami'sstatements The theoretical basis provides arguments that determine the potential

to effectively exploit the topic's aesthetic manifestations Furthermore, Murakami'sstatements unambiguously convey his literary concepts Notably, the writer alsoclearly expressed his desire to merge traditional literature with the new breath ofthe times Traditional aestheticism are still considered by Japanese writers as thefundamental soul for the writer's responsibility From this, we can see that thefeasibility of implementing this topic The thesis’s results are expected to have asubstantial and pragmatic contribution on the cognition and appreciation of theliterary realm of one of the most renowned contemporary Japanese writers.Combining research bases, we have identified content that implements outstandingaspects of the perception of beauty based on traditional aesthetics expressed byMurakami in his novels: aware, zenryou, and yugen

Chapter 2 AWARE IN HARUKI MURAKAMI’S NOVELS 2.1 Theoretical Framework of Aware

2.1.1 General Overview of “the tragic”

Tragedy, as described in Western philosophy, is considered a significantcategory of art, is seen by Western philosophers as purification, beauty of flawsthat are intrinsic in the dramatic clash between individuals, personal ethics andspirituality, and is the result of transcendence

In Buddhism, the tragic also encompasses the compassion inherent in a goodheart and good nature In other word, this mentality constitutes the “Buddha-nature” The ultimate triumph of enlightenment, faith, and aspiration is a tenet ofBuddhism Furthermore, the Buddhist ideals of the tragedy recognize the intrinsicbeauty that resides within This has been deeply assimilated by the Japanese tocreate the beauty that is unique to the nation's aesthetic awareness - mono noaware

2.1.2 Aware in Japanese literature

Aware, a sentiment of melancholy in response to the ephemeral, destructive

qualities of all things, including beauty, was created by the Japanese by fusingsubjective emotive empathy with the objective concept of transience Japaneseliterary pieces function as reflections of philosophical thought, offeringcontemplations on the transient world where beauty emerges and dissipates inimpermanence With the beauty of aware, Murakami’s novels provide readers withpoignant reflections on solitary existence, existential impermanence, andcompassion for the victims of oppression and cruelty

2.2 Aware of loneliness in Haruki Murakami’s novels

2.2.1 Aware of the loneliness in people who had lost their “self/ego”

Identity is a fundamental theme throughout Murakami’s works By assumingthe “responsibility” to scrutinise the issues of the time and penetrating “thehumans” of his stories, he discerns that love, friendship, family, and conflict arenot merely narratives from the past, but rather the foundations of the flawedindividuals who persist in Murakami’s contemporary works Through the upheavalcaused by the reversal of established values trending towards a devolutionary

trajectory, Murakami’s works chronicle an ongoing quest to rediscover everyaspect of human identity Murakami portrays the negative consequences ofscientific and technological progress, the prevailing preoccupation withmaterialistic desires, and the cognitive imbalance through the melancholy thatresults from the erosion of the human essence within a community.

2.2.2 Aware of the loneliness in people who lost touch with others

Murakami’s novels portray characters whose intimate relationships arestrained, and whose communication capabilities, which are customary forestablishing connections with the community, are fractured Even in the midst of anetwork of relationships, individuals become lonely and resort to complexpsychological mechanisms to isolate themselves The novels of Harumi Murakamiconvey to readers the gloomy gospel of the time: the gospel of the solitary nature

of human existence In addition to being conveyed through postmodernsensibilities and existential philosophy, this loneliness is also associated with

aware of the Japanese soul.

2.3 Aware of impermanence in Haruki Murakami’s novels

2.3.1 Aware of life and death

With death at its core, Murakami offers readers profound insights into thecomplexities of existence and mortality The wretchedness of loss and thedeterioration of human existence illuminate the worth of existence By deftly andflexibly integrating Oriental and Occidental perspectives, Murakami harmonisesthe destructive sense of beauty of the land of the Rising Sun with the themes oflife and death as perceived from the vantage points of postmodernity andcontemporary existence Regarding the beauty of destruction, existence is nothingbut death

2.3.2 Aware of femininity of the female characters

Female characters in the novels of Haruki Murakami exemplify delicatebeauty in the midst of the turmoil of life This beauty must be suffered throughanguish, hardship, bereavement, self-pity, self-annihilation, and self-acceptance ofmistakes Notwithstanding their composition in the postmodern literary style,Murakami’s female characters continue to impart to readers the subtleties ofthe conventional sense of beauty These attributes, which are delicate,

melancholic, and subtly beautiful, are concealed within the silhouettes of female

figures with a distinct yin and feminine nature.

2.4 Aware of the victims of evil in Haruki Murakami’s novels

2.4.1 Aware of the victims of war

War is a product of human beings It emerges from rivalries andaspirations, traversing the evolutionary lineage of Homo sapiens and originatingfrom the primal instinct of "ownership" over untamed animals Nevertheless, it isprecisely due to this "evolution" that warfare attains a level of cruelty andatrocity that surpasses that of nature By avoiding the use of victimhood akin tothe history of Japan, the author allows the cruel realities of war to be expressed.War not only claims lives but also deprives those who survive of their veryessence Trauma resulting from the conflict is a subject of particular interest toMurakami His identification of the true victims of war is crystal obvious.Murakami’s novels depict war as irrational and savage Its irrationalityexcruciatingly compels individuals to doubt its very existence

2.4.2 Aware of victims in a family

In the context of familial relationships, the majority of Haruki Murakami’scharacters have difficulties finding a common voice They reject or, more precisely,are unable to form bonds with their family (father, mother, spouse, children, siblings,and so forth) A multitude of characters within the works of Murakami fell prey todomestic violence In his novels, the author creates the persona of "orphanedchildren" who remain orphaned despite the fact that their biological parents are stillalive The blood that courses through their vessels may also transform into theirdeepest terror A sense of compassion for the victims of evil is also evident in thenovels of Harumi Murakami towards girls who endure sexual abuse and incest, aswell as battered spouses In these cases, family life often descends into chaos

2.4.3 Aware of the victims of the society

Characters and narratives by Haruki Murakami exist precariously on theprecarious boundary that separates righteousness and malevolence By utilising hiswriting abilities as a symbolic arrow of justice directed at the harsh realities of lifeand evil, he exposes the suffering and atrocities that every stratum of society mustendure, irrespective of social standing, occupation, gender, or age In Haruki

Murakami’s novels, the victims of wrongdoing progressively raise their voices in aneffort to define the moral conscience of humanity and pass judgement, whichreality’s court cannot always do In this way, one can also derive aware from thegood.

Summary of Chapter 2

Haruki Murakami’s works deeply express "aware" of loneliness,impermanence, and compassion for the victims attacked and damned by evil.Every character carries within him a sense of mournful solitude Murakami’shumans become independent individuals resulting from losing their identity andconnection The identity of the lost ego makes them experience profoundcontemporary solitude They transform into individuals with concealedrecollections of loneliness, perpetually seeking common ground of empathy forothers in this mundane world They embark on journeys and pilgrimages, seekingthe soul and genuine love Murakami’s novels, combining the modern pen with thetraditional soul, offer readers poignant gospels amidst the excitement and chaos ofthe times Moreover, Murakami’s novels foster compassion for the brittleness andtransience of human existence The poignancy of birth and death forces people toconfront the nature of existence The sadness of loss and destruction makes peoplerecognize life again Female characters with sensitive souls deeply express theimpermanence of life and the ironic reality of new life, which brings chaos andfragmentation to people Murakami’s characters, who understand the impermanentnature of human life, leading to chaos and fragmentation, exhibit an even greatersensitivity to the fragile beauty penetrating the finite nature of human life,Murakami gets a heightened awareness of the delicate beauty that is sometimesovershadowed by the harsh realities of living Consequently, a profound sense ofcompassion also emerges At the same time, through his works, Murakami deeplydemonstrates the essential definition of goodness: aiming for beauty means aimingfor honest things He writes about reality in a realistic way so that readers can beaware of it Murakami’s characters explore the intersections of good and evil,leading them on a never-ending quest for goodness Therefore, we will specificallyexplore the beauty of zenryou in Chapter 3