Yukio Mishima was born into a samurai family and imbued with the code of complete control over mind and body, and loyalty to the Emperor - the same code that produced the austerity and self-sacrifice of Zen. He wrote countless short stories and thirty-three plays, in some of which he acted. Several films have been made from his novels, includingThe Sound of Waves; Enjo,which was based on The Temple of the Golden Pavilion; andThe Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea. Among his other works are the novelsConfessions of a MaskandThirst For Loveand the short-story collectionsDeath in MidsummerandActs of Worship.
The Sea of Fertility tetralogy, however, is his masterpiece. After Mishima conceived the idea ofThe Sea of Fertilityin 1964, he frequently said he would die when it was completed. On November 25th, 1970, the day he completedThe Decay of the Angel, the last novel of the cycle, Mishima committedseppuku(ritual suicide) at the age of 45.