summary

Summary

The book «In a Grove» by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa is a complex and multilayered story told through a series of conflicting testimonies about a crime. At the heart of the plot is the murder of a samurai and the rape of his wife, which took place in a forest. Each character, including the samurai's wife, the bandit who confessed to the crime, and even the spirit of the slain samurai, tells their version of the events. These accounts contradict each other, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and doubt. Through this structure, Akutagawa explores themes of the subjectivity of truth and the complexity of human nature, leaving the reader pondering what truly happened in the grove.