Among all the literary works about incest, Shimazaki Toson's Shinsei has been considered unique. The paper, by applying the method of Ethical Literary Criticism, analyzes the connection between the ethical consciousness of the author and the protagonist and their struggle about hiding or publicizing it. The final solution the ethical selection of confessing the truth of incest to the society is also discussed. From the point of view of Ethical Literary Criticism, Shinsei is an autobiography about self-redemption through confession after experiencing ethical confusion in the process of self-realizing and self-examining ethically and morally. The purpose of confessing at the cost of destroying his reputation is to restore the normal uncle-nephew relationship and rediscover the new lives of both himself and his niece. The analysis of the paper refutes the accusation of hypocrisy and selfishness against Toson and reveals a real Toson to readers.
