Brief Mirage Volume 10 Ruminations
Nov. 6th, 2021 09:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
labingiAsphodel has started a thread at the Mirage forum for volume 10 discussion, and I thought I'd crosspost my random thoughts here too, as I reread this volume for the first time in years. Asphodel is currently doing an amazing job re-translating it, but I'm a little ahead of her translation and rereading the earlier version by Tasha Poisonous, who translated, I believe, from Russian into a second language for her, and I am very impressed and grateful.
Spoilers for Mirage up to volume 10 and trigger warning for talk of sexual assault:
Boy, Naoe and Kagetora both really (intellectually) understand their position, even Kagetora, who lies and blusters about it more. They understand its dynamics, but neither of them can see a way out. In essence, they see no alternative but mutual destruction, which is much what Irobe observes a few volumes later. I think Kagetora captures this in his ruminations that love, hate, desire, and kindness are not enough to tie them together; only the eternal battle over who wins and who loses is. The problem here is the need to be tied together, as nicely illustrated by Kagetora's interrupting his own thoughts about how he can keep Naoe chained with a sudden, passing reflection that he doesn't want to chain him. The core question is why do they need to be chained? For Kagetora, the answer is ultimately that he's insecure; he needs outside validation to feel worthy. I think for Naoe the answer is more complex and multifaceted. Part of it is likely his own insecurity, his need to hitch himself to Kagetora's "superior" star, but part may, indeed, just come down to love, even compassion. I don't think he can leave Kagetora, in part, because he knows how much Kagetora needs him and that Naoe's leaving would destroy him.
Other stuff: I had forgotten how truly brutal the rape of Kagetora was. I had also forgotten how closely his relationship the primary rapist echoes his relationship with Naoe. He has already been brutally and totally betrayed by a very proper, trusted, older male servant. No wonder he has fears about its happening again, especially when Naoe is lunging at him in a way that absolutely is sexual assault if not actually rape. Kagetora behaves like someone who has been badly traumatized, and I can't say he doesn't have a right to.
I had also not registered how much foreshadowing is going on in the interactions between Yuzuru and Takaya. I don't want to be too spoilery here, but the general tenor of their conversations is going to come back in a "karma is a bitch" sort of way, in their case, both literal karma and metaphorical intra-lifetime karma.
Interested to hear what others are picking up.
Spoilers for Mirage up to volume 10 and trigger warning for talk of sexual assault:
Boy, Naoe and Kagetora both really (intellectually) understand their position, even Kagetora, who lies and blusters about it more. They understand its dynamics, but neither of them can see a way out. In essence, they see no alternative but mutual destruction, which is much what Irobe observes a few volumes later. I think Kagetora captures this in his ruminations that love, hate, desire, and kindness are not enough to tie them together; only the eternal battle over who wins and who loses is. The problem here is the need to be tied together, as nicely illustrated by Kagetora's interrupting his own thoughts about how he can keep Naoe chained with a sudden, passing reflection that he doesn't want to chain him. The core question is why do they need to be chained? For Kagetora, the answer is ultimately that he's insecure; he needs outside validation to feel worthy. I think for Naoe the answer is more complex and multifaceted. Part of it is likely his own insecurity, his need to hitch himself to Kagetora's "superior" star, but part may, indeed, just come down to love, even compassion. I don't think he can leave Kagetora, in part, because he knows how much Kagetora needs him and that Naoe's leaving would destroy him.
Other stuff: I had forgotten how truly brutal the rape of Kagetora was. I had also forgotten how closely his relationship the primary rapist echoes his relationship with Naoe. He has already been brutally and totally betrayed by a very proper, trusted, older male servant. No wonder he has fears about its happening again, especially when Naoe is lunging at him in a way that absolutely is sexual assault if not actually rape. Kagetora behaves like someone who has been badly traumatized, and I can't say he doesn't have a right to.
I had also not registered how much foreshadowing is going on in the interactions between Yuzuru and Takaya. I don't want to be too spoilery here, but the general tenor of their conversations is going to come back in a "karma is a bitch" sort of way, in their case, both literal karma and metaphorical intra-lifetime karma.
Interested to hear what others are picking up.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-05 07:02 pm (UTC)I definitely agree with your analysis of the characters. I also would like to add 2 points but they could be my own personal projections and not what is in the story. I can't say for sure.
One of Kagetora's problem, i think, is his sense of duty to his father, clan and brothers; almost everyone except Naoe. Maybe it is out of a sense of superiority to Naoe because it makes him feel that N needs him and would never leave him (he may also feel that he is the only one that can make N feel this way). K probably counts on N never leaving him no matter how he hurts him. Also, feeling superior makes K feel less vulnerable as you said because of his deep insecurities. And because he is the one with the upper hand, he gets to sacrifice both their life/love the way he sees fit for the greater good. I think K is a self-centered (although well-intentioned) misguided Messiah.
The other thing I was thinking of is the weight of time. It is easy to forget this battle of love or attachment or possession has gone on for 500 years. I think history and time are huge burden on both of them esp K who is a more sensitive soul. Even if there were times that he had forgot or he did not know he loves N, I think he would still feel it engraved on his soul, this burden. There is just so much history between them full of blood and tears and joys. Maybe they just have lost their sense of reality or being grounded on a firm place.
I think the more we read, the more layers we find. I look forward to your future thoughts.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-06 09:23 pm (UTC)Interesting that you note he excludes Naoe from this. Very good point. It's rare to see him show much duty toward Naoe. There's a shade of that in vol. 10(?), when Naoe has lost his sight and Kagetora talks about having to get him to the hospital. That's showing a duty of care, and it's so atypical in their discourse that it really stands out.
Part of this might be Confucian: Naoe is supposed to show more duty toward him, as Kagetora is toward Kenshin. But it's definitely mostly personal. I think a lot of it is because Naoe is the closest thing to someone he can be himself with. He's still very guarded and often false with Naoe, but he'll show him things he won't show anyone else. He's pretty much convinced anyone else will either leave him or get hurt/killed if he shows weakness. With Naoe, he's at least more than 50% convinced that neither of those things will happen, so he's less careful about being "good" with him.
A "self-centered, misguided, but well-intentioned messiah" is a great way to describe K.
And yes, the weight of time lies heavy.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-17 09:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-27 12:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-27 08:46 am (UTC)May the coming year be a healthier, wealthier, and merrier year for you and your loved ones. <3
Zee the scroller :)
no subject
Date: 2022-01-08 07:55 pm (UTC)