Translated by William Johnston
One of my resolutions for 2024 is to read more historical fiction in translation and where better to start than with a book for the Japanese Literature Challenge (hosted by Dolce Bellezza throughout January and February).
First published in Japanese in 1966 and in English in 1969, Shūsaku Endō’s Silence is set in the 17th century and tells the story of a Portuguese Jesuit priest, Sebastian Rodrigues, who travels to Japan to investigate claims that his old mentor, Father Ferreira, has committed apostasy – in other words, renounced his faith. Rodrigues and his friend Francisco Garrpe, another priest, can’t believe that their teacher would do such a thing. Certain that there must be some mistake, the two set out from Lisbon on the long journey to Japan, where they hope to learn what has really happened to Ferreira.
Rodrigues and Garrpe reach Japan in 1639 and quickly discover that the local Christian communities are being persecuted and forced to hide their religion from the authorities. Anyone the officials suspect of being a Christian is told to trample on an image of Christ, known as a fumie, and if they refuse they are imprisoned and tortured by being suspended upside down over a pit. On his arrival in Japan, Rodrigues goes into hiding with the other Christians, carrying out his missionary work and helping them to worship in secret, but he knows it’s only a matter of time before he is caught and has his own faith put to the test.
Silence is both beautifully written and beautifully translated. From beginning to end, I was completely immersed in another time and place; there’s no jarringly modern language to pull the reader out of the story and everything feels authentic and real. I was intrigued by Endō’s decision to write the novel from the perspective of Rodrigues (first in the form of letters written by the priest and then in the third person) rather than the Japanese Christians and it was interesting to see how Endō viewed his country, its people and its customs through the eyes of a stranger.
I am not a particularly religious person but you don’t need to be to be able to appreciate this novel. I was very moved by the internal struggles Rodrigues faces as he begins to question why God is remaining silent in the midst of so much torture and persecution and whether renouncing his faith, under certain circumstances, could actually be the right thing to do if it helps alleviate the suffering of others. As you can imagine, it’s quite a bleak story, but I loved it and although it’s only been a few days since I finished it, I don’t think it’s a book I’ll ever forget. I would like to try more of Endō’s work and am pleased to see that some of his other novels are also available in English translations.
I read this book for the Japanese Literature Challenge 17 and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.
She Reads Novels 
There’s a 2017 film of this …. I didn’t realise it was an adaptation of a book!
I’m aware of the film, but have never watched it so the story was new to me.
Martin Scorsese is a fan and adapted the book for the film that Setinthepast refers to. Apparently he is intending to adapt another Endo book, A Life Of Jesus so might be worth looking that one out! Silence does sound like an interesting novel.
Thanks – I didn’t know he was planning to adapt another of Endo’s books. I need to find time to watch Silence, now that I’ve read this book!
Very cool! I’ll look out for this and others by the author. As you say there’s a number of his available in translation:
The Sea and Poison (1958)
Wonderful Fool (1959)
Volcano (1960)
The Girl I Left Behind (1963)
Foreign Studies (1965)
Silence (1966)
A Life of Jesus (1973)
Song of Sadness (1977)
The Samurai (1980)
When I Whistle (1980)
Scandal (1988)
Deep River (1994)
Kiku’s Prayer (2012)
Sachiko (2020)
Thanks! I’ve had a quick look and it seems not all of these are in print at the moment, but there are enough to be going on with for now!
I’m interested in The Samurai (1980). I might try that first to expand my Japanese reading a bit more. Good to see its available as a Penguin paperback
Probably my favourite book by him, but he has some other good ones. (Was intrigued but not completely won over by Scandal, I have to admit).
Thanks – I’ll leave Scandal for now and try one of the others.
I’ve been making quite an effort to read literature in translation recently – not so much historical literature in translation. This looks a good place to start, and is available within my library service. I’ll try to get hold of it once we’re back in England.
I only read two or three books in translation last year, which wasn’t very impressive, so I’m hoping to do much better this year. I’m glad your library has this one!
That’s a good challenge for the year, I haven’t really made any but I would like to broaden my reading horizons a bit with more in translation, you’ve got off to a good start!
Yes, I hope I can keep up the good work! I would like to read one book in translation every month, but realistically I probably won’t manage that many.
This one sounds really good, and the cover is beautiful.
Yes, I love that cover.
Well done on your review. “there’s no jarringly modern language to pull the reader out of the story” this is crucial even historical fiction written in one’s own language. It destroys the moment when it is allowed.
Yes, it’s always very important to me. It’s disappointing when authors don’t make the effort to get the language right!
Or the historical details on dress or whatever right.
I’ve not seen the film
Neither have I, but I would like to see it now I’ve read the book.
I had similar feelings about this book. It’s quite ‘moody’ – you want a quite still spot where you can read it slowly
Yes, I think it’s a book you really need to concentrate on and give it your full attention.
I’m glad that this was so powerful that it didn’t disappoint, and especially that it maintained its authentic feel – so important in historical fiction, for me as well as for you.
It didn’t disappoint at all and I was very impressed by the authenticity – I never doubted that I was reading about 17th century Japan.
I had not heard of the challenge and will definitely join. I am traveling to Japan in a few months and am enamored with everything Japanese.
I hadn’t even thought of looking for Japanese historical fiction for the Japanese Literature Challenge. Thanks for highlighting this one. I will be looking out for it!
Thanks for sharing your review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge!
I couldn’t find many examples of Japanese historical fiction, but I’m glad I came across this one!