「物くさ太郎」の構造論的考察

抄録

Manokusa Taro (A Lazy Boy) is one of the most famous tales in Otogi-Zoshi, a collection of short popular tales formed through Muromachi Era and early Edo Era. For an analysis of the tale, the following procedures are taken in this paper . First, its sequential structure obtained through morphological analysis is presented. Second, its component elements are extracted and re-arranged into various schemes of binary oppositions. Third, the relations between the sequential structure and the schemes of binary oppositions are considered on the assumption that the whole text forms a system of paragrammatical network. Many features of analytical interest have emerged as a result of these procedures, but in this paper only two problems are taken up. The first is concerned with the validity of the strongly supported theory that the tale should be included in the category of Honji tales. The second is an old problem as to why the protagonist Taro changes his character or role so often in accordance with different situations ; lazy beggar→faithful servant→reckless bandit→good poet→handsome nobleman→deity of love. The morphologcal structure common to Honji tales is generally as follows ; protagonist of noble or sacred origin degrades himself by some misfortunes and after a long wandering in exile filled with much suffering somehow re-establishes himself in his former status. Tales of this type usually account for the origins of certain Buddhism and/or Shinto deities. Adopting Bremond's morphological models, it is possible to say that Honji tales consist morhologically of "processus de degradation" and of "processus d'amelioration". In the tale in question, however, Taro is a lazy beggar apparently humble origin in the beginning, his noble descent being disclosed only at the end of the story. Thus we find in it only the "processus d'amelioration". For this reason, it is not appropriate to regard it as a Hanji tale. It could even be argued that the tale is a parody of Honji tales, a subject not discussed in this paper.