No Longer Human

Osamu Dazai is one of the most vivid and tragic writers of 20th-century Japanese literature. His works are marked by autobiographical elements, ruthless honesty, and keen psychological observation. Dazai became the voice of a generation that endured war, disillusionment, and an inner crisis, and his books still resonate with readers around the world.

“Confession of an Inadequate Man” is his best-known story, in which the confessional tone reaches its full force. The hero, Yozo, can’t find his place in society: he hides his deep detachment under the mask of foolishness and a painful feeling of alienness. Alienation, inability to love and to be understood, attempts to drown out the inner emptiness with alcohol and passions—all of this leads to his moral and physical decline.