It's not so much that I want to die as that I'm tired of living.

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Depression

It is unfortunate for the gods that, unlike us, they cannot commit suicide.

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Death Suicide

Yes -- or rather, it's not so much that I want to die as that I'm tired of living.

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Death Suicide

...O-suzu left whatever work she was doing at her sewing machine and dragged Takeo back to O-yoshi and her son.How dare you behave so selfishly! Now tell O-yoshi-san that you are sorry. Get down on the mats and make a proper bow!

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Culture Humor Japanese

Isn't there someone kind enough to come strangle me in my sleep?

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Japanese Literature Sleep

As you can imagine, those who had fallen this far had been so worn down by their tortures in the seven other hells that they no longer had the strength to cry out.

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Hell Japan Japanese Japanese Literature Torture

Directly beneath the Lotus Pond of Paradise lay the lower depths of Hell, and as He peered through the crystalline waters, He could see the River of Three Crossings and the Mountain of Needles as clearly as if He were viewing pictures in a peep-box.

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Hell Japan Japanese Japanese Literature

Great robber though he was, Kandata could only trash about like a dying frog as he choked on the blood of the pond.

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Hell Japan Japanese Japanese Literature

I could have sworn that the man's eyes were no longer watching his daughter dying in agony, that instead the gorgeous colors of flames and the sight of a woman suffering in them were giving him joy beyond measure.

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Fire Japan Japanese Japanese Literature

The pale whiteness of her upturned face as she choked on the smoke; the tangled length of her hair as she tried to shake the flames from it; the beauty of her cherry-blossom robe as it burst into flame: it was all so cruel, so terrible!

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Fire Japan Japanese Japanese Literature

Chained inside the carriage is a sinful woman. When we set the carriage afire, her flesh will be roasted, her bones will be charred: she will die an agonizing death. Never again will you have such a perfect model for the screen. Do not fail to watch as her snow-white flesh erupts in flames. See and remember her long black hair dancing in a whirl of sparks!

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Death Fire Japan Japanese Japanese Literature

Still more horrible was the color of the flames that licked the latticed cabin vents before shooting skyward, as though - might I say? - the sun itself had crashed to earth, spewing its heavenly fire in all directions.

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Fire Japan Japanese Japanese Literature

I have no conscience at all -- least of all an artistic conscience. All I have is nerves.

~ Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Conscience