AKUTAGAWA RYŪNOSUKE: THE ARTISTIC REPRESENTATION OF THE AUTHOR’S PSYCHOLOGICAL CRISIS IN “SPINNING GEARS”

 Akutagawa Ryūnosuke is recognized as one of the most prominent figures of twentieth-century Japanese literature and is widely regarded as a master of the short story genre. Drawing inspiration from both classical Japanese literature and Western modernism, Akutagawa developed a distinctive literary style and played a significant role in the formation of modern Japanese literature.

Written only a few months before the author’s death and published posthumously, the short story “Spinning Gears” occupies a special place in Akutagawa’s literary legacy. The work is often interpreted as an artistic reflection of the writer’s psychological condition, particularly his mental disorders and suicidal tendencies. In the final years of his life, Akutagawa experienced severe psychological distress and, due to suffering from hereditary psychosis, lived in constant fear of developing schizophrenia. This fear is clearly manifested in “Spinning Gears.” The narrative foregrounds visual hallucinations, paranoia, memory loss, and persistent thoughts questioning the nature of the self and existence.

The aim of this article is to examine the literary representation of the psychological crisis experienced by the author in “Spinning Gears,” and to analyze how elements such as hallucinations, suicidal ideation, and stream of consciousness are employed within the text.