Ōgai Mori and Anatole France

Abstract

　It was said by Professor Seiichi Yoshida that “Le Parnasse Ambulant”，published by Ōgai Mori (1862-1922) in June,1910, might have relation to “L’Ile des Pingouins” (1908), written by Anatole France (1844-1924). As a result of my comparative study of the two works (although it cannot be proven conclusively or absolutely), the unique style of satire in the former work seems to have been more or less influenced by the latter one. This may also be seen through the ideas expressed in “The Tower of Silence”(1910), written by Ōgai and Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s “MENSURA ZOILI” (1917), which was directly influenced by “The Tower of Silence”.

　There is some direct relation between Ōgai and Anatole France, that can be proven, however. For example, the first of France’s works introduced in Japan, known as “Hachi Hime” in Japanese, was introduced by Ōgai Mori. It thus seems impossible that Ōgai would not have known one of France’s most representative works, “L’ Ile des Pingouins”.

　“The Tower of Silence”，which was influenced to some degree by “L’Ile des Pingouins”，shows similar ideas as the essay “Ism of Literary Arts” written by Ōgai in the same period. I cannot but compare the political similarity of the times, for France wrote “L’Ile des Pingouins”， after the Dreyfus case rocked his country, while Ōgai wrote “The Tower of Silence” at the same time as the Kōtoku affair, a high treason case, was being tried in 1910, when it was not permitted to joke about or satirize the Japanese government.