Japanese Hamlet by Toshio Mori
"Japanese Hamlet" by Toshio Mori explores the life of Tom Fukunaga, a Nisei—an American-born child of Japanese immigrants—struggling to reconcile his aspirations with societal expectations. At thirty-one, Fukunaga remains a student, devoted to his dream of becoming a Shakespearean actor, despite being disowned by his parents and ridiculed by relatives for his lack of progress. He is characterized by his deep love for Shakespeare's works, often rehearsing lines and practicing recitations, particularly drawn to the role of Hamlet, which he believes is his destiny. The story is narrated by an acquaintance who initially indulges Fukunaga’s passion but gradually reflects on the futility of his pursuits and the impact of this unfulfilled dream on his life. This introspection leads to a pivotal moment where the narrator encourages Fukunaga to seek a more pragmatic path, highlighting the tension between dreams and reality. Ultimately, the narrative raises questions about ambition, identity, and the responsibilities we have toward our dreams and those who care for us. Mori's work offers a nuanced view of cultural identity and the challenges faced by individuals caught between two worlds.
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Japanese Hamlet by Toshio Mori
First published: 1979
Type of plot: Parody
Time of work: The 1930's
Locale: Northern California
Principal Characters:
Tom Fukunaga , a Japanese American who aspires to be a Shakespearean actorThe narrator , his friend
The Story
Tom Fukunaga is a Nisei, a person born in the United States of parents who emigrated from Japan. He is more in tune with the mainstream culture in the United States than with traditional Japanese culture. Fukunaga is thirty-one years old but still a schoolboy. Besides free room and board, Fukunaga receives five dollars a week from a Piedmont home where he stays, just as he had done when he was a freshman at Piedmont High School. Ostensibly, the main reason behind Fukunaga's decision to stay in school is his affection for William Shakespeare's plays and his aspiration to become a ranking Shakespearean actor. Fukunaga's relatives, however, believe that he is a worthless loafer and ought to be ashamed of himself for being a schoolboy at his age. Despite the fact that he has been disowned by his parents and is laughed at by his relatives, Fukunaga has been chasing his dream by practicing lines from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.
Fukunaga often visits the narrator's house in the evening with a copy of Shakespeare's plays. Because the narrator is free in the evenings, he does not mind Fukunaga's visits and at first is willing to help Fukunaga practice his recitations. As the days go by, the narrator starts to wonder what role the prominence of his house and attention play in helping Fukunaga waste his energy and time; he suspects he has been drawn into the mock play that is Fukunaga's life. At the age of thirty-one, Fukunaga was still as far from appearing on the stage as he was when he was in high school. The narrator has reminded Fukunaga several times, to no avail, that he has to contact stage people if he wants to become an actor. Observing the discrepancy between Fukunaga's goals and the effort he puts into achieving them, and how little progress he has made toward becoming a professional Shakespearean actor, the narrator sees the validity of the criticism made by Fukunaga's relatives.
The narrator tells Fukunaga that he likes best hearing him recite Shakespeare's sonnets. Fukunaga, however, insists that Hamlet, the title role of Shakespeare's immortal play, is his forte. The narrator notices that when Fukunaga talks to other people about Shakespeare, he always starts by mentioning Hamlet. Even during the recitation practice, after playing parts in other Shakespearean plays, Fukunaga always comes back to Hamlet, for he believes that this is his special role, the role that will establish him in Shakespearean history.
Fukunaga's stubbornness and obliviousness to his own strengths and limitations make the narrator realize that by providing Fukunaga with a willing ear, he has become his accomplice, helping to prolong a dream that cannot be fulfilled. Finally, the narrator musters up enough courage to tell Fukunaga that his book of Shakespeare is destroying him; he would be better off in business or with a job. The two of them do not see each other again until some years later, when the narrator spots Fukunaga on the Piedmont car at Fourteenth and Broadway. Fukunaga's head is buried in a book, which the narrator presumes is The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.