Mishima is known for his extreme politics and obsession with immorality and death, yet "The Sound of Waves 潮騒" is a notable abnormality. It is a rare case in Japanese literature that contains no suicide, no immorality, and no discussions of any ideology. The author wrote this short novel after a trip to Greece. He was inspired by the classical story of Daphnis and Chloe in which two (heterosexual) lovers, a shepherd and a goatherd, overcome much difficulties to become a couple. In Mishima's version, it is set on a rural island, where a young couple meets, overcomes some Shakespearean misunderstanding and eventually gets everyone's approval to become a couple. It celebrates the rustic, faithfulness, celibacy, youth, determination, the beauty of nature and, indeed, the sound of waves. Also rare for Mishima, the prose is very easy to read. It sets the standard for many love dramas of the day. Put simply, it is a very happy and beautiful story. It makes you warm inside.
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