Abstract: In Kafka on the Shore, Haruki Murakami strategically achieves intertextuality with ancient Greek tragedy Oedipus the King, and, furthermore, replaces the traditional theme of ethical crime with a discussion of simulated ethical crime by means of parallel narrative and diverse metaphors. The phrase “simulated ethical crime” refers to the actualization of the intention of violating ethical taboo in some simulated way. Different from the violation of ethical taboo in reality which is real, direct, or targeted, it is fictional, indirect and substitutive. This paper, borrowing the terms of “free will” and “rational will” from Ethical Literary Criticism, examines the cause of the simulated ethical crime of Kafka Tamura, the protagonist. Kafka Tamura's simulated ethical crime is motivated by his instinct, in which his rational will is taken over by free will. This paper reveals the potential danger of simulated ethical crime. As a result of irrational will, it might lead to actual ethical crime.

Key words: Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore, simulated ethical crime, Ethical Literary Criticism