著者

結城 史郎

出版者

富山大学ヘルン(小泉八雲)研究会

雑誌

ヘルン研究 (ISSN:24328383)

巻号頁・発行日

no.1, pp.37-49, 2018-03

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Lafcadio Hearn's mother tongue was English, although he also spoke some French and of course Japanese. He wrote in English and was undoubtedly influenced by Irish folklore, legends and culture. Hearn in a letter to W. B. Yeats once wrote, "I had a Connaught nurse who told me fairy tales and ghost stories." So, with his deep interest in and knowledge of Irish Legends, and in particular the story of Oisin and Tir na nOg, Hearn was well positioned to make comparisons between Japanese and Irish legends and thereby to complain of Urashima Taro's easy death, when he wrote "The Dream of a Summer Day" included in his Out of the East.Hearn seems to have in mind the legend of Oisin when he says, "Things are quite differently managed in the West." In the legend of Oisin the hero does not voluntarily break his promise with Niamh. Furthermore, following his downfall, Oisin, although an ancient man, remained alive and led a solitary life in this world to the last. Hearn was equally fascinated by the legend of Urashima Taro, but he might have been simultaneously forced to compare the relatively swift and easy death, without long suffering, of Urashima Taro, as against that of Oisin. It is difficult to find plausible conclusions for Hearn's emotional wavering.In order to examine the question I first of all took up the legend of Urashima Taro along with the legend of Oisin. Secondly, I elucidated Hearn's Western views on the legend of Urashima Taro. Thirdly, I broadened my points to examine the communion with the other world in comparison with the story''Yuki-Onna" included in Kwaidan. Lastly, I compared the difference between the West and the East to be explored in the story and discussed Hearn's impact on Japanese culture. Hearn had a keen interest in the folklore of Japan and rewrote it as stories with literary fragrance. His method is called retelling or adaptation. Hearn was a superior writer who could spread his wing of imagination.In those days, the Japanese supported the idea to "Quit Asia and Join Europe." Indeed, Hearn rewrote many stories about Japanese culture which we ourselves had forgotten. Japan enthusiastically imported Western culture and disrobed its own clothes. In doing so, the Japanese also lost sight of their love of nature. When we reflect on such historical flow, we Japanese feel that Hearn's foresight on Japanese culture was precocious. However, we ourselves are now reflecting nostalgically on traditional Japanese culture. Of course, if we didn't accept European cultures, we could not have developed as we did, but we are particularly conscious of our own lost culture in the current global world.Anyway, Hearn contributed to spinning beautiful stories out of crude Japanese folklore. But, in addition, Hearn could assimilate into Japanese culture and introduce them to the Western world. We cannot praise his exploits too much. What he has done for Japan is that he uncovered traditional values buried in the unconscious of the Japanese people and introduced those values abroad while at the same time enlightening the Japanese.Hearn's stories remind us of what Japanese are and how we are constructed, because he rewrote our own traditional values. Hearn might have been worried more than anyone else at the time with the loss of Japanese culture. Hearn's stories move us because they touch our heartstrings. This is true of''Yuki-Onna." It speaks to us of a cosmic human harmony with nature.