One of the Oldest Stories in Our Archive

"The Victim" by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki

The Paris Review Redux: free interviews, stories, poems, and art from the archives of The Paris Review. View this email in your browser From a portfolio by Jacques Hérold in issue no. 26. Last week, we released the ninth episode of our latest podcast season, which features the actor George Takei reading one of the oldest stories in the Review's archive: "The Victim," Ivan Morris's English translation of the Japanese author Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's 1910 literary debut, which was published in issue no. 16.  This week, we're unlocking the story from our archive so that you can both listen to the episode and read the story, too.  PROSE The Victim Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, translated by Ivan Morris These things happened at a time when that noble virtue, frivolity, still flourished, when today's relentless struggle for existence was yet unknown. The faces of the young aristocrats and squires were not darkened by any cloud; at court the maids of honour and the great courtesans always wore a smile on their lips; the occupations of clown and professional teahouse wit were held in high esteem; life was peaceful and full of joy. In the theater and in the writings of the time, beauty and power were portrayed as inseparable. Physical beauty, indeed, was the chief aim of life and in its pursuit people went so far as to have themselves tattooed. On their bodies, brilliant lines and colours were ravelled in a sort of dance. When visiting the gay quarters, they would choose as bearers for their palanquins men whose bodies were skilfully tattooed, and the courtesans of Yoshiwara and Tatsumi gave their love to men whose bodies boasted beautiful tattoos. Frequenters of the gambling dens, firemen, merchants and even samurai all had recourse to the tattooer's art. Exhibitions of tattoo were frequently arranged where the participants, fingering the tattoo-marks on each other's bodies, would praise the original design of one and criticise the shortcomings of another. From issue no. 16 (Spring–Summer 1957) To read more from issue no. 16, including our Art of Fiction interview with Truman Capote, why not subscribe? You'll receive four print issues a year plus unlimited digital access to our seventy-year archive. Copyright © 2024 The Paris Review. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: The Paris Review 544 West 27th Street 3rd Floor New York, New York 10001 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe, if you must.